Crewmember on Bristol Bay fishing vessel dies following net entanglement

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A commercial fishing crew member in Western Alaska died Friday after he was swept up in fishing gear and taken into the water, according to the Alaska State Troopers.

In a dispatch on Saturday, Troopers identified the victim as 21-year-old Corwin Wheeler of Wisconsin.

Troopers began a rescue effort shortly after noon Friday upon receiving a mayday call from a fisherman in Kvichak Bay, a body of water near Naknek, part of the Bristol Bay Borough.

The caller told troopers a crewman went over the side of his commercial fishing vessel.

By the time the Department of Public Safety’s vessel arrived at the vessel’s location, Wheeler was found and brought aboard.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers then “performed lifesaving measures for approximately one hour prior to pronouncing the crewman deceased.”

Next-of-kin procedures have complete.

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