On January 4, 1992, 34-year-old David Charles Parkes, the skipper of the F/V St. George, and his five crew members vanished into the frigid waters of the Bering Sea. Parkes, along with Kevin Clark, George Dahl, Terry James, Sean McWethy, and Brian Schouten, had departed from Dutch Harbor on January 2nd, heading for the crab grounds. The 94-foot crab vessel was last heard from in the vicinity of Cold Bay, Alaska, before all communication was lost.
At the time of his disappearance, Parkes was described as a White/Caucasian male, 5'10' and weighing approximately 185 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes, and distinctive dimples on both cheeks. He may have been wearing a gold necklace with a long chain.
The disappearance of the F/V St. George triggered extensive search and rescue operations. Despite these exhaustive efforts, neither the vessel nor any of its six crew members were ever found. The only trace of the ship that ever surfaced was its Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and an empty life raft, which were discovered on January 5, 1992, approximately 152 to 165 nautical miles north of Unimak Pass. The discovery of the unoccupied life raft painted a grim picture of the crew's fate, leaving their families and the maritime community with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss.
The case of David Parkes and the crew of the F/V St. George remains a haunting reminder of the perils faced by those who make their living on the unpredictable waters of the Bering Sea. With no survivors and no wreckage to examine, the exact circumstances that led to the vessel's sinking are unknown. The Alaska State Troopers opened an investigation on January 7, 1992, but without further evidence, the case has grown cold over the decades. The disappearance of the six men stands as a tragic maritime mystery, a story of lives lost to the unforgiving power of the sea.Last Seen: Jan 4, 1992
