In the rugged maritime world of Southeast Alaska, Randall Scott Janisch was an experienced mariner familiar with the challenges of the state's demanding waters. On November 21, 1992, the 35-year-old man from Ketchikan was working aboard a tugboat in the remote and often unforgiving Farragut Bay, located in Frederick Sound. What began as a routine operation took a tragic turn, leading to Janisch's disappearance.
He was last seen wearing jeans and a flannel shirt before the vessel he was on reportedly capsized and sank, casting him into the frigid Alaskan waters and leaving his fate unknown. The incident marked the beginning of a long and unresolved mystery for his family and the close-knit community he was a part of.
The vessel, identified as the tug 'May,' was engaged in pulling a tow of floating logs in reportedly calm seas at the mouth of Farragut Bay when it suddenly rolled over and sank. The tug went down in water approximately 300 feet deep, taking three of its four crew members with it. While one person managed to escape the sinking vessel, Janisch and two others were trapped and presumed drowned. The tug was carrying around 7,000 gallons of diesel fuel, which began to leak immediately, creating a noticeable sheen on the water's surface that complicated the scene.
In the wake of the sinking, the United States Coast Guard promptly launched an extensive search and rescue mission for the missing crewmen. For about ten days, crews scoured the area, hoping to find any sign of the men, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Neither Randall Janisch nor the other two crew members were ever located, and the sunken tugboat was never recovered from the depths of Frederick Sound. The case remains a painful and unresolved disappearance, a stark reminder of the perils of the sea. Decades later, the lack of recovery or new information leaves unanswered questions, and Randall Janisch is remembered as a mariner lost to the treacherous Alaskan waters he knew so well.Last Seen: Nov 21, 1992
