Lawrence Vincent O’grady Missing Person Case

Jan 24, 2026

Jan 24, 2026

Lawrence

Vincent O’grady

64

55

5'10 inches

195 lbs

White

Male

In the cold, unforgiving waters of the Bering Sea, 55-year-old Lawrence Vincent O'Grady, known affectionately as Larry, began his final journey in February 2017. He was a crew member aboard the Seattle-based fishing vessel, the *Destination*, a 110-foot boat setting out from the port of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Alongside him were five other men: Captain Jeffrey Hathaway and fellow crew members Kai Hamik, Charles "Glenn" Jones, Darrik Seibold, and Raymond Vincler. The crew had taken on an extra load of bait for their crab pots, bringing their total to 10,000 pounds, as they embarked on a mission to fish for Alaskan crab. O'Grady, who resided in Poulsbo, Washington, was a seasoned fisherman who would often spend his time fishing for salmon or Dungeness crab and putting out shrimp pots near his home when he wasn't in the Bering Sea. The events of February 11, 2017, unfolded with grim rapidity. By the early morning hours, the *Destination* was navigating the waters off the southern shore of St. George Island. At approximately 6:15 a.m., the vessel's Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) sent out a distress signal, alerting the Coast Guard that something had gone terribly wrong. Just minutes before, the ship's tracking system had ceased transmitting. The Coast Guard launched a search, but despite their efforts, they found only the EPIRB and a single life ring. After two and a half days of searching the vast and icy sea, the heartbreaking decision was made to call off the search, and all six men aboard the *Destination* were declared lost at sea. In the wake of the tragedy, an investigation by the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board sought to understand the cause. Their findings revealed that the sinking was a "tragic and preventable accident." A combination of factors led to the vessel's demise, including hazardous weather conditions and freezing spray that coated the *Destination*, making it dangerously top-heavy. The investigation also concluded that the boat had significant stability issues and failed to meet minimum safety standards. The report cited unsafe conditions resulting from carrying heavier crab pots than were accounted for in stability instructions, the additional weight of bait loaded high on the vessel, and an open hatch that could have led to downflooding. The wreckage of the *Destination* was eventually located by sonar, resting in 256 feet of water. Though the bodies of Lawrence O'Grady and his five crewmates were never found, they have been declared legally dead, leaving their families and loved ones to mourn a profound loss.

Feb 11, 2017

Bering Sea

Alaska

Bering Sea

Alaska State Troopers

907-269-5511

07/02/2026