The tender Kulukuk Bay caught fire and was engulfed in flames near Togiak early Sunday morning July 24.
U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Rachel Burchill said two passengers were on board at the time of the fire. They abandoned ship, and the pair were picked up by a Good Samaritan vessel and taken to Togiak.
Burchill said that while the initial report stated that four passengers were involved, only two passengers were on board. No injuries were reported. She said the Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the fire.
“We’re still in the start of the investigation to determine what the cause of the fire was," Burchill said. "It's more of a fact-finding investigation it's not criminal in any way. To determine what went wrong and how we can prevent it in the future."
Burchill said they did not have any additional information about the passengers or the state of the vessel at this time. She said the results of the investigation are due out in a month or two.
(Correction: The US Coast Guard incorrectly stated the two passengers were taken to Peter Pan Seafoods in Togiak. There is no Peter Pan facility in the community.)
Contact the news team at news@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
