Fred Davis Missing Person Case

Jan 01, 1970

Jan 01, 1970

Fred

Davis

35

White / Caucasian

Male

In the spring of 1986, the community of Sitka, Alaska, was struck by a maritime tragedy that led to the disappearance of two of its own. On April 10th, 35-year-old Fred Robert Davis, a resident of Sitka, was aboard the tugboat 'Roughneck' when it met with disaster in the turbulent waters of Serigus Narrows. Known also as Fast Freddy Davis or Fred Robert Edward Davis, he was wearing Levi jeans and a gray shirt at the time of the incident. This harrowing event would also claim another man, Clyde Watson, Sr., leaving families and the community searching for answers that the ocean was not willing to give. The 'Roughneck' was engaged in towing the barge 'Annahootz' when a perilous situation unfolded. The strong currents of the narrows caused the tug and barge to jackknife, a dangerous maneuver where the tow pushes the towing vessel, forcing the 'Roughneck' onto its side and ultimately causing it to sink. In the chaos that ensued, three other crew members, Captain Larry Holmes of Seattle, mate Bob Travinski of Vancouver, and deckhand Brian Chinnel of Sitka, managed to escape the rapidly sinking vessel. Tragically, Fred Davis and Clyde Watson, who was 55 and from LaPine, Oregon, were lost to the waves. Immediate and extensive search efforts were launched in the wake of the sinking, but the unforgiving Alaskan waters yielded no sign of Fred Davis or Clyde Watson. The incident was not the first time the 'Roughneck' and the 'Annahootz' had encountered trouble; just two days prior, they were involved in a minor incident in Wrangell Narrows that resulted in a small fuel spill. The sinking of the 'Roughneck' remains a somber chapter in Sitka's history, a stark reminder of the power of the sea. The official search was eventually called off, leaving the case as an unresolved loss for the families and the maritime community, a poignant narrative of two men who went to sea and never returned.

Apr 10, 1986

Sitka

Alaska

,

07/22/2026