Olen Nash Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Feb 16, 2024

Olen

Nash

46

20

72 inches

175 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On November 12, 1999, a then 20-year-old Male Olen Nash was working as a crewman aboard the F/V Becca Dawn, a 52-foot steel longline halibut fishing vessel, when it encountered treacherous weather and sank in the Fairweather Grounds, approximately 70 miles off the coast of Alaska, near Yakutat. The distress signal from the Becca Dawn was received by the Coast Guard stations in Juneau and Sitka at about 11 p.m. as the vessel went down in tumultuous 20-foot seas. While three other crew members, including two of his brothers, were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter, Olen Nash disappeared into the icy waters of the Gulf of Alaska and was never found. He was last seen wearing an orange survival suit with reflective tape on the arms, along with a blue polypropylene shirt and pants. The other three crew members were discovered clinging to one another in the water amidst a vast debris field where their boat had sunk. They informed the Coast Guard that Olen was also wearing a survival suit but had become separated from them as they were abandoning the sinking vessel. There was a glimmer of hope that he might have been able to deploy the Becca Dawn's life raft. Despite an extensive search effort involving three helicopters and two planes, rescuers were unable to locate him. A properly sealed survival suit can significantly prolong a person's survival time in the frigid Alaskan waters, but tragically, Olen was never seen again. The incident was a harrowing reminder of the dangers faced by those who make their living on the sea, particularly in the unforgiving conditions of the Gulf of Alaska, which is notorious for its fierce storms. The three survivors were treated for mild hypothermia and were otherwise not seriously injured. Olen Nash is presumed to be deceased, lost to the sea in the tragic sinking of the F/V Becca Dawn. The case remains a painful memory for his family and a somber entry in the records of Alaska's maritime losses. The Alaska State Troopers in Juneau handled the official report of his disappearance. An overview of the case underscores the swift and perilous nature of maritime emergencies, where even with survival equipment, the unforgiving environment can lead to tragic outcomes. The separation from his fellow crew members in the critical moments of abandoning the ship appears to be the pivotal factor in this heartbreaking loss of life at sea.

Nov 12, 1999

Juneau

Alaska

Juneau Borough

No

77549

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

990076760

1999-11-12

Alaska State Troopers

8748

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/10/2026