Robert Olson Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

May 08, 2024

Robert

Olson

56

25

73 inches

185 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On January 15, 1995, a then 25-year-old Robert Charles Olson was a crew member aboard the F/V Northwest Mariner, a 106-foot crabbing and processing vessel, when it capsized in the unforgiving waters of the Bering Sea. The vessel, based out of Seattle, Washington, was preparing for the opelio crab season which was set to open just a couple of hours after the incident occurred. Along with Olson, the experienced crew included James "Jim" Foster, the skipper and part-owner, Lawrence "Larry" Johnston, Bruce Forde, Troy Collins, and Bob Petersen. The last known location of the vessel was approximately 120 miles northwest of Saint Paul Island. The Northwest Mariner sent out a brief mayday call at 2:12 PM, prompting an immediate response from other vessels in the vicinity. The weather conditions at the time were treacherous, with reports of 40-knot winds and 24-foot seas, which may have been a contributing factor to the tragic event. The aftermath of the capsizing was grim. A life raft was discovered with two unresponsive crewmen, later identified as Bob Petersen and Troy Collins. Despite efforts to revive them, both men succumbed to hypothermia. The bodies of Robert Olson, Bruce Forde, James Foster, and Lawrence Johnston were never recovered, and they are presumed to have been lost at sea. The overturned hull of the F/V Northwest Mariner was located, confirming the vessel's fate. The crew was known to be safety-conscious and had received marine survival training, but the rapid nature of the capsizing likely left little time to react. It is believed that the two crew members who were found may have been sleeping at the time of the incident and were wearing only light clothing, not survival suits. The loss of the Northwest Mariner and its crew deeply impacted the tight-knit fishing community in Seattle. A memorial service was held at Fishermen's Terminal, where the names of Jim Foster, Larry Johnston, Bruce Forde, Rob Olson, Troy Collins, and Bob Petersen were to be added to the monument honoring fishermen lost at sea. The families of the crew were left with the profound grief of their loss, made more difficult by the lack of closure as the bodies of four of the men were never found. Investigations were launched by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board, though officials acknowledged the difficulty in determining the exact cause of the accident without witnesses or the vessel itself. Severe icing conditions were reported in the area at the time, and it is speculated that the combination of the ice, the crab pots stacked on deck, and the severe weather led to the vessel becoming unstable and rolling over. This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers faced by those who make their living on the sea.

Jan 15, 1995

Bering Sea

Alaska

Dillingham Census Area

No

77651

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

950003911

1995-01-16

Alaska State Troopers

8847

Brown

Hazel

Hazel

07/21/2026