June 21, 2011

Two commercial fishermen have died while fishing on Alaska's Yakutat River. Three men were working from a 20 foot skiff when it began to flood and take on water. The skiff capsized and the three crewmen were able to climb on top of the skiff. Two of the three men were wearing life jackets. The two crewmen with life jackets tried to swim to the nearby shore but hypothermia overcame them resulting in their deaths. The crewman who stayed on the skiff was spotted by plane and the Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to rescue the one surviving crewman.