Blaise Mascarenhas Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Mar 22, 2024

Blaise

Mascarenhas

53

33

60 inches

120 lbs

Asian

Male

In the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Bering Sea, a catastrophic event unfolded in December 2004, leading to the disappearance of Blaise Mascarenhas, a 33-year-old male crew member from the M/V Selendang Ayu. The vessel, a 738-foot Malaysian-registered bulk cargo ship, was en route from Seattle, Washington, to Xiamen, China, carrying a massive load of soybeans. On December 6, the ship's engine failed, leaving it adrift and at the mercy of the severe weather conditions common to the Aleutian Islands. For two days, the crew battled against the elements, attempting to repair the engine as the vessel drifted perilously closer to Unalaska Island. The situation grew more dire as towing attempts by the Coast Guard and a commercial tug failed, and the ship continued its uncontrolled drift. As the M/V Selendang Ayu neared the coast of Unalaska on December 8, the decision was made to evacuate the 26-person crew. Coast Guard helicopters began the perilous task of winching the crew members to safety amidst treacherous seas and high winds. After successfully rescuing 18 crew members, a devastating turn of events occurred during the evacuation of the remaining men. A rogue wave crashed over the bow of the ship, engulfing the rescue helicopter in a massive spray of water. This caused the helicopter's engines to flame out, leading to it crashing into the frigid sea. While the three Coast Guard personnel on the helicopter and one of the seven crew members being rescued were pulled from the water by a second helicopter, Blaise Mascarenhas and five of his fellow crewmen were lost to the sea. The immediate aftermath of the helicopter crash was chaotic. The M/V Selendang Ayu, now unmanned except for the ship's master and a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who were later saved, ran aground and broke in two, spilling a significant amount of fuel oil and its cargo of soybeans into the pristine Alaskan waters. This resulted in a major environmental concern, prompting a large-scale cleanup effort. Despite extensive search and rescue operations by the Coast Guard, which covered hundreds of miles of coastline and ocean, no trace of Blaise Mascarenhas or the other five missing crew members was ever found. The official search was suspended on December 10, 2004, with little hope of finding any survivors in the frigid waters. The case of Blaise Mascarenhas remains a tragic story of the dangers faced at sea and the profound loss experienced by the families of those who never returned from the ill-fated voyage of the M/V Selendang Ayu. His disappearance, along with his fellow crewmen, is a somber reminder of the power of nature and the risks inherent in maritime operations.

Dec 08, 2004

Unalaska

Alaska

Aleutians West Census Area

No

77206

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

040095117

2004-12-08

Alaska State Troopers

Black

Brown

Brown

06/28/2026