John Mckerley Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Feb 13, 2024

John

Mckerley

66

39

67 inches

210 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Bering Sea, 39-year-old John R. Mckerley, a Caucasian male, was last seen on March 18, 1999. He was aboard the fishing vessel Lin J, which was located approximately eight miles northwest of St. Paul Island, Alaska, in the Dillingham Census Area. Mckerley, who had brown hair and blue eyes, was one of five crew members on the crabber. The vessel, laden with a cargo of 55,000 pounds of snow crab, encountered treacherous winter conditions. The circumstances of that day would lead to a tragic event that left an indelible mark on the Alaskan fishing community. The F/V Lin J, a 96-foot crab fishing vessel, fell victim to the severe icing conditions that are a notorious peril in the Bering Sea. The accumulation of ice on the vessel made it unstable, and it ultimately capsized and sank. John Mckerley, along with the four other crew members—Captain Blake Kinnear, Jason Conlon, Marc Shayne Hill, and Aaron Miller-Moylan—were lost to the frigid waters. It is presumed that all five men drowned in the incident. Mckerley had several distinctive tattoos, including the word "Grandpa" on his left forearm and "Viva" on his back right shoulder, as well as a mole on his neck. A subsequent investigation into the sinking of the Lin J revealed details about the decisions made leading up to the tragedy. E-mails sent by Captain Kinnear from the vessel indicated that he was traveling at an excessive speed for the icy conditions and was carrying too many crab pots on deck. These factors were found to have contributed to the vessel's instability and its eventual foundering. The loss of the Lin J and its entire crew serves as a somber reminder of the dangers faced by those who make their living on the sea. The case remains a painful memory for the families and the close-knit community of Dillingham, a testament to the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan waters and the profound loss of five lives.

Mar 18, 1999

Dillingham

Alaska

Dillingham Census Area

No

77750

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

990016884

Alaska State Troopers

8758

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/21/2026