May 17, 2011 - Fatality at Cook Inlet
Roberto Ramirez, 42, unknown residence, Jose A. Sandoval, 34, of Bakersfield, California, Avelino Garcia, 36, of Oregon (town unknown), Jose Revera, 24, of Los Angeles.
Ramon Valdiva, 31, of Oregon (town unknown). Drown after their aluminum skiff was overloaded when it swamped in rough seas of Cook Inlet. The five men were working for Pacific Alaska Shellfish and returning from harvesting clams. Troopers said, the wind, tide and rough seas all contributed to the boat swamping. The Coast Guard said three of the men were found wearing life jackets and two were not. Troopers said only one man, Ramirez, was wearing a life vest.
Noel Garcia, 42, of Aberdeen, Wash., told Alaska State Troopers the boat was overloaded with more than 100 buckets full of razor clams, each weighing about 35 pounds. The seas were rough. It was windy. The tide was rushing in when he opted to walk miles back to their work camp at Polly Creek.