A commercial harvester from Texas died and two crew members were rescued after a fishing vessel stuck on a sandbar in the Nushagak area of Bristol Bay was hit by a large wave, knocking the entire crew overboard.
OBI Seafoods confirmed that efforts to revive Lance Norby, captain of the F/V Pneuma,failed after he was pulled from the water early on Friday, July 2.
According to OBI, Norby was new to their fleet last year, after purchasing the F/V Barbarian out of Egegik and renaming it the Pneuma to fish in Bristol Bay.
OBI also extended its gratitude to the crew of the F/V Fortress, tender Provider and Trident tender Last Frontier, captained by Cam Chriswell, who stopped in the midst of the largest Nushagak harvest day ever to rescue the mariners.
Public radio station KTOO in Juneau said next of kin of Norby, 45, of Arlington, Texas, had been notified of his passing.
Rescuers found Norby in the water and proceeded with CPR and other lifesaving efforts in an effort to revive him, the KTOO report said.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Nate Littlejohn credited the good Samaritan vessels with providing aid, noting how difficult it was to arrive on scene too late to save a life.
