*Correction to a misspelling in the ending tribute; The Captain's Son, David Leigh Cobban ▶MORE MARITIME: Gulf of Alaska, The Northern Belle: ruclips.net/video/nGl9J8MFpFw/видео.html Atlantic, El Faro: ruclips.net/video/-BNDub3h2_I/видео.html North Atlantic, Ocean Ranger: ruclips.net/video/cyNFhthQ97Q/видео.html Gulf of Maine, Emmy Rose: ruclips.net/video/BGtkMAoE-z4/видео.html
Tell me have you thought of doing something on oceanos or Darbyshire ? Darbyshire wood be interesting in terms of how the ship failed during the sinking because there's an animation showing it basically imploding as it went down. As for the oceanos I have a friend who made a documentary about it recently that you might want to get in touch with. He's been researching the ships and its story for nearly 8 years now.
Thank you. The sobering thing is that there was not much the crew could do. The numbers they followed looked right. Their experience - it looked right. And yet lives were lost. They all got a curve ball. And only later - did an investigation find a need to recalculate the load and ice factors. 62 #'s per cubic foot. I" hope the lives lost - have given something up - to help those living. Not Cheers. Sir - Thank you!
John Lawler- one of the two survivors- died in a motorcycle accident last October. According to a gofundme his sister set up, John "was left with severe PTSD, fear, anxiety, sadness" and was in a "constant nightmare state" since the sinking. Terribly sad.
Thanks for what you said! Decent job 👏 and respectful thank you. I've always liked your videos, I never thought I'd be in one...... wish it turned out better It was very fast. Dean
I am the friend Gary (Captain Cobban) was talking to in North Carolina 2 hours before the mayday. Thank you for your interest in, and work on, this this project. I’ve read all the reports, watched the hearings, heard the behind the scenes discussions and in my estimation you did a superb job of laying it out accurately. Your illustrations help me better understand how everything happened. Thank you for your good work.
Gary made the ultimate sacrifice so that his crew had a chance of surviving. Without that distress call no one would have made it home. Prayers for Gary and David's family and all of all those lost in this tragedy.
As a former serviceman I know the Coast Guard gets crapped on a lot but those rescue swimmers are some of the bravest guys on Earth in my opinion. God bless them for having the balls to risk their own lives in such horrible conditions to save others.
Does the Coast Guard get crapped on a lot? I don't know people in the boating industry, but among laypeople, I've never heard someone complain about the Coast Guard. I'm pretty anti-government. I think like 90% of government agencies should be gone. But the Coast guard is one of the only ones I think is good. Nobody is ever upset to be rescued from the ocean, why wouldn't you like the Coast Guard?
@@malcanth3481’ve never heard CG being crapped on either. It’s always about how brave the rescue swimmers and pilots are I disagree with your comments about govt though.
@@malcanth3481 it's an inter-service rivalry kinda thing, we all give each other shit, but give the most to the CG (until Space Force got made) because "they aren't real military". Even though we know they work hard and risk their lives even more than anyone else during peacetime, especially in winter.
@@malcanth3481it’s mainly petty inter branch rivalry. The Coast Guard is Department of Homeland Security, not Department of Defense, so members of the DoD branches like to pick on the CG.
One of the 2 survivors died in a motorcycle crash last year. I really feel for the last guy left. I hope he’s getting the support he needs. I can’t imagine how he must feel with the only other he could relate to about that night being gone.
@@scottshepard3662 Who said anything about life not being fair? Of course it's not, but that's not a reason to not want to have someone to share experiences and get support when things get shit.
Trauma is a horrible thing, but it helps to have someone there who understands it, and who doesn’t require a full explanation of what happened every time they are struggling. It must be hard enduring his alone.
@@scottshepard3662 I sure hope that if you experience something as horrific, people will show you more compassion than you show others. Does trolling others make you feel better about yourself? Now THAT is sad.
The captain couldn't have known that the EPIRB would fail to trigger, but his heroism in risking his life to stay and place a mayday call while his crew donned survival suits is what really stuck with me about this story. Because of that mayday call and the heroism of the Coast Guard, this tragedy resulted in many safety recommendations that may save lives in the future. RIP to all those lost.
It sounds more like he locked up. I wouldn't call it heroism, more, realism. Not to bash on the guy but it sounds like the guy who got tossed out of his bed and ran up to the wheelhouse to figure out wtf was going on is the hero. "What's going on?" "I think we're sinking" hand proceeds to alert everyone to the fact that the ship was sinking. I don't think the captian realized what was happening and in the moment he locked up which wasted precious time they couldn't afford. I would imagine there's a "danger zone" with list, or there should be, where if you hit that level you get everyone up and ready to abandon ship if it becomes unrecoverable. I believe he said there was phone call about the 20 degree list? If not some people knew... if the captian had sounded the general alarm earlier they all should have survived. Do to inaction it cost people their lives. It's easier to take a survival suit off after the situation has been corrected than it is to put one on when the ship is going down. I'm not trying to dog on the man when he's not here to defend himself but inaction is no action and while there was only a few minutes to make decisions there was enough time to get everyone in a position to be rescued. Making the mayday call after hands ask wtf is going on because they could tell something is seriously wrong isn't heroism.
@@jlo7770Not only are you talking bad about him, you're making up baseless assumptions about how he handled the situation before the vessel went down.
@@jlo7770 Yeah that's actually a pretty logical take. If I was a crew member, if we got within 10* of the vanishing point I would want to be woken up. The fact that they weren't all already alterted by the time the captain accepted they were sinking is damning.
@@tictacman1000it's hardly damning, given the captain found out his ship was going down at the same moment his crew did, which was when the ship made the turn towards shelter. Until that moment the strong winds had been countering the roll caused by the asymmetrical ice buildup, which was accumulating faster than anyone had seen before due to a rare atmospheric phenomenon, and which had a greater impact than anticipated due to the stability calculations being incorrect. Up to that point there'd been no reason to raise the alarm, as the list was manageable and they expected to reach shelter and begin de-icing soon. After the turn however, the wind no longer resisted the weight of the ice, but added on to it by blowing across the ship from the opposite direction, which caused the dramatic roll that tossed the 2 survivors out of bed and brought everybody to the bridge. Essentially, things went from 'tricky but doable' to 'oh shit we're going down' in a split second as the bow crossed the prevailing wind direction, and there was no point sounding an alarm for the crew as the last two who'd been sleeping had sprinted the few steps to bridge after being tossed from their bunks by the roll, so everyone was already together in the wheelhouse with the captain when they all learned the ship was going down. The first line of the findings in the report says the captain's actions and decision making were not a factor in the accident, everyone involved who knew him or worked with him stated he was a stickler for following all safety protocols and making sure everyone had thorough safety training. It's unfair to claim his actions were 'damning' without taking the context of his actions into account.
I can’t imagine what the captain’s son was going through when his dad fell. My dad means the world to me and I don’t think I could have left him there either. Rest In Peace to all the victims, and especially to the son who refused to leave his father to die alone.
Made me think of the survivor of MS Estonia who had to leave his parents and girlfriend at the bottom of the heavilly leaning stairwell when they gave up mentally but they wanted him to survive if he could.
The captain's son wouldn't leave his father's side after he fell, that really tears at the heart strings, at least they were together in their last moments, and it shows the love they had for one another. We need more people of such character in today's world.
Pretty sure any father would prefer their son leave them behind and save themselves so they could survive. However, can anyone really blame a son for refusing to do so? Not really.
@William Pulsfus I'm pretty sure the economy would tell you otherwise. All wars are intended to increase the economical growth of the host nation for all belligerents. It's why war is a thing. This is a ship engaged with a conflict of nature and lost lives in a brutal attack literally caused by the crab cages icing over. Their duty literally killed them and attacked while they slept. I see no difference between them and every sailor who died at sea during battle. They died putting food on our tables.
I was at the engine room controls of the coast guard cutter mellon in the bearing sea when the call came out, we came up on both turbines and steamed fast in their direction but could not make good time with how bad the seas were, it was a rough ride to say the least. I'll never forget that night. RIP to those lost.
Thanks to you you and the rest of our "Always Ready" Coast Guard -- you save so many lives and prevent so many other accidents, and we know that you and the rest of the crew did your best that terrible day.
Wow, not too often you hear a story where everything was reasonable. Ship in good condition, safety oriented captain, experienced crew, good communication, back plans for back up plans, just bad luck
I have spent a lot of time on the ocean. The amount of things that can go wrong are infinite. You just try your best to follow procedure and best practices but you can never be 100% on the ocean. Mother nature is in control, we just try to survive.
I wonder if a system could be developed, That would release the pot stacks on command from bridge. Maybe they could be on a buoy and line for recovery later. That seems the only thing that may have saved the ship.
My dad was lost in the sinking of the Pacific Surf in 1977. My mom and I saw him off on that trip at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. I go down to the memorial and visit him often
I am not trying to reopen wounds, Tom, but from what Ive learned about the Pacific Surf, there was only one soul lost, with four rescued. Is that true?
I remember seeing the Scandies Rose on Deadliest Catch and even then, thinking "that's a ship whose captain will never let her sink". The tragedy of the Scandies Rose is truly a testament that the saltiest sailor, the most advanced technology, will always succumb to Mother Nature's will and only the bravest of men dare to challenge her. May all the souls lost to the sea rest in peace.
I don’t think the heroics of the coast guard can be overstated. For all intents and purposes that rescue mission the helicopter flew was dangerously close to a suicide mission, yet they went without hesitation and saved two lives. I remember watching deadliest catch when this happened; the captains were terribly shaken that such a well built and captained vessel could go down. Very well done doc about a horribly tragic event. God rest those souls
I'm a retired USN Sailor. We give the Coasties jazz about being the "Green Water Navy", but we have enormous respect for the incredible job they do under unbelievable conditions.
Just hearing what the coastguard pushed that chopper to knowing that there was a chance to find survivors tells you all you need know about those men. R.I.P.to the ones who lost there lives.
I've heard it describes as the Army/Navy/Airforce fight against your nation's enemies. The Coast Guard have declared war on nature itself and, not in this case, human foolishness
My father went down in 1999 on the Lyn-J. The coastguard found the capsized hull before it sank completely, debris and the captains body without a suit on. We knew 8-10 hours later that there's little to no chance my father would be rescued. We told them not to risk their own lives. They continued for a long time. I don't remember the exact figure. I have the utmost respect for them doing that for total strangers. I've been known to throw caution to the wind myself. I hope I would have the integrity to do the same if the roles were reversed. I was great full at the time. I always make sure to mention that every time the coastguard comes up in conversation. I knew Gary, and some of his family. This incident brought me right back to that day. This was a great documentary, and I'm glad they're looking at icing more realistically these days, as it was likely the cause of the Lyn-J sinking as well.
@@robertwynn3453 I myself wouldn't think so. I've never stepped foot on a crab boat but from watching the show it takes a little time to untie a pot and move it using a crane I'm not sure if they have a emergency release for this kind of situation or not. I've never heard a captain on the show mention it.
I was on that boat back about 1990. There were four boats tied in a raft as the skippers all had a meeting, all us deck hands and engineers were exploring each others boats. The Scandies Rose was a beautiful boat with teak wood everywhere in the main cabin. I really wanted to work on that boat one day. Life had other plans for me when I left Alaska. Prayers for the crew and their family's.
Retired Coast Guardsman here. Your team did a spectacular job of recreating this SAR mission! Flying a helicopter in icing conditions is hazardous to begin with. The helo's anti-icing capabilities are pretty limited. The flight crew displayed brass balls by flying into the face of that powerful storm on the edge of their fuel limit. I'll bet that not one was thinking of turning back until the job was done. True professionalism! Please do more incident recreations like this one. Thanks.
Rest In Peace to those amazing men. I worked for 1 season with Gary and Brock. I’ve worked on a few different boats over the years I fished, Gary was one of the nicest and safest skippers I’ve ever worked for and he was loved by everyone that knew him. Brock was a hoot to work with! Some of the best memories of my life. Im honored to have met and worked with those men and work on that beast of a ship. Gone but never forgotten!
I am proud to have known Gary, David, and Brock as competent, hardworking fellow fishermen that kept the Scandies safely maintained, and like the Destination, the tragedy was a complete shock to us all. We miss you guys
Dude I love coming to the comments of videos like this and seeing folks directly related to the incident sharing appreciation for the hard work creators like BI because it shows the content is more legit. I come back to these channels because folks like you who seek out content based on these incidents find it actually respectful, accurate, and legitimate. I am always struck with the respect smd love y’all have for y’all’s lost loved ones. It makes me appreciate the gravity of the situation even more, reminds me of the humanity behind the videos. Much love to you and yours, safety in all weather, and peace
Never forget the guys reaction and it shows how small of a community the fleet is now compared to years ago. Anytime you lose a fisherman your losing a friend
They were all great fisherman. I had the pleasure 0f working with Seth for a couple years. One of the nicest thoughtful and respectful people I've worked with. Definitely the world is missing you guys. Rip
I worked shipyard on her in 2017 with Gary, David, Brock and my life long friend Art. This was very devastating news for me! Gary was ABSOLUTELY the best! David was the sweetest most innocent man I’ve EVER met even to this day! Brock was truly amazing and unique in a way that only Brock could be! Art, such a great friend, mentor, fisherman and many other things that I couldn’t possible relate in RUclips comment! R.I.P. my friends! You are all missed every single day!
I am really sorry, Brian. Reading your comment brought my own shit up and tears to my eyes. I feel your pain and hope you are able to carry it when it needs to be carried ... and letting it go in time. We all got to let go or parts of us stop living too and that, IMHO, is not what my and your dead friends would want.
RIP. Captain saved the lives of two of his crew with the mayday call which also provided location for extensive investigation on icing and ship location for family closure. Just a horrendous accident.
This story was really impactful for me in a way I had never really taken the time to think about before. Just out of highschool in 2012 I was on a fishing boat that sank extremely quickly off the alaskan peninsula, to my understanding it was a combination of dry wood from a new renovation and several days of badly angled rough waves that tore off a huge section of the hull. I didn't really think much about it at the time, we all did just as planned and were in the raft with survival suits on within 10 minutes of the first alarm. We got pulled out by a helicopter from kodiak maybe an hour later, we even had the captain's dog with us which the news loved. It really never bothered me, I wasn't scared at the time and I never thought about it as more than a crazy story to tell. I even went straight from the the dropoff in kodiak back to fishing in chignik for the season. Only recently I've started to think about what had to happen for us all to survive so easily, and what happens here really puts than into perspective. I think the only reason we made it out is that the captain's father in law had taken a vacation to make the trip with us from washington up to alaska, so he had been careful about doing all of the safety drills and going over the new equipment the same week of the accident. He also made the mayday call and ordered us into suits just a few minutes after waking up and seeing the engine room flooding. By the time the raft was inflated and we all made it off the ship the deck was well under water, a few minutes later and it was rolling over. I spent a long time watching this video just pausing and thinking about how I felt about the situation, and how insanely well we all made off in the end. Hearing about the sub finding the two crew members who suited up and still died in the cabin makes me appreciate my captain's decisions far more.
Exceptional call to make having just woken up, excellent decision making. I can understand how it must make you feel now though, when you're young you're convinced you're indestructable :-)!
You had the “invincibility of youth” & everyone got to go home-but had a life been lost the entire situation would’ve had an enormous impact for you to deal with. Fear comes with the decades we survive to live. I’m SO GLAD you survived & didn’t have any problems at the time. I think insight comes with maturity to review past events.
@@vizon-aryproductions6191 It was very surreal. There was a stressful moment right at the beginning when we couldn't find the safety blade to cut the rope tying us off to the boat, but someone had a pocket knife. It was maybe 10 or 11pm, just getting dark in that alaska summer way, but we could still see land 30-40 miles away. The water was a bit choppy, but the raft was pretty big and felt secure, and the tent kept us dry. The suits were plenty warm. I remember everyone being fairly calm, joking about making it off with the dog and whatnot. The mayday call had been answered so we knew someone would be looking for us eventually, but the one hour felt like an extremely long time to wait. At this point I think I would be absolutely terrified to go through the same situation again, we were drifting away from land out into the open, but in the moment my teenage brain was completely unfazed. I was the only one of the crew to run to my room and grab my phone/wallet before jumping ship 😂 Still using that wallet today...
I find it incomprehensible that other commentators on this tragedy could throw out baseless accusations of drunkenness and suchlike amongst captain and crew. I am a retired Chartered Engineer with 4 decades in offshore oil. To me accuracy and objectivity in these matters are paramount. I appreciate the approach of this channel.
Some people just seem to want to victim blame whenever they can, I think it might be a coping mechanism - a simplified worldview where only people who deserve to suffer are suffering.
I am the chief engineer on the Saga. What a sad day that was. As far as the drugs and alcohol comments it happens to all of us. People don't realize the brutal conditions fisherman put up with. Lack of sleep , and the stress it puts on the body. So most fisherman look fatigued and those that don't realize that think the worst. Drugs and alcohol are not tolerated on most boats.
the only mistake I think the crew made was not deice earlier. nowadays you can have a good idea if weather i goign to get worst. better to decie while good then wait
This has to be the best comment section I’ve ever discovered. What a tribute to this work. I imagine it’s a small tribe of people that know one another, even if only through the word of mouth stories, which adds such a nice complexity to an already compelling tragedy. Peace to all who have lost or were lost. 💔
As a captain myself, all I can say is I hope you do more videos like this. All Mariners can walk away with something, regardless of the type of vessel they are on. Thank you for taking the time.
Hi Captain Bailes, I am messaging you because your network is directly in contact with other sea farers and might spread quicker. With all this tech people have why things are still done primativly is surprising. Hasnt anyone ever tried hydrophobic materials on those surfaces for anti icing? What about heating elements in the rails and hull and deck. These ships are built for those conditions but they arent built for those condition. Regards Jeff.
@@KevinSorbo. Its sad to see these incident. but I am quite sure that some kind of cheap element type of heating like electric blanket wiring, its just some wires that act like resistors that heat up when current is passed through and they only have to heat just above freezing to stop ice. I would certainly throw in another 50-100k on a 3 million dollar vessel to install such things.
@@JoeOvercoat Oh I understand the power of water and temperatures I get it. Look cable in the railings wouldnt even be bothered with a sledge hammer. Yes it would take a lot of power but those deisel engines.. Are you kidding do you know how much power they put out, do you think they are your little pissy V8 crap engines? A nice generator connected to those things and you could light up half of New York.
@@jaycal1920 ANY type of wiring on any boat in salt water will corrode VERY quickly. Not to mention any type of wiring will cause fire hazards and more power consumption than a boat may be able to afford.(it already takes a ton of power to run the crab circulating pumps and chillers) Larger boats have anti icing capabilities and even then they aren't perfect.
I lived in the Aleutians (Sand Point) as a kid, and it is hard to overstate how completely brutal and unreal the wind is around there. 50mph is pretty normal, over 100mph for a bad day, and they've been recorded up to 159mph (which is a Cat 5 hurricane, for reference). There were lots of days we didn't go to school or go outside because anyone who wasn't a sturdy adult would just get blown tf off the island (not hard, I think it's 8 square miles or something). I got pretty serious frostbite and hypothermia once on a not very cold day because my father forgot to come pick me up from school, and my 6 year old self thought "I can just walk home." It was all of 600 yards away, and I was well bundled up, but that wind drops the wind chill factor low, fast.
LOL at "anyone who wasn't a sturdy adult would just get blown tf off the island." :D I'm from Florida, where hurricanes were an annual part of my childhood, so I absolutely get it. But thanks for sharing this perspective; I bet those who have zero familiarity with such conditions can't even begin to imagine!
@@HavelTheCock "LOL at "anyone who wasn't a sturdy adult would just get blown tf off the island." :D I'm from Florida, where hurricanes were an annual part of my childhood, so I absolutely get it." He literally mentions that wind and how strong it is in Florida which is where he's from and you got that he was talking about the cold? there is no way anyone could honestly mix that up, you would have to be going out of your way to misunderstand that.
When this happened, a lot of ships captains went and got their ships’ balanced. I watch Deadliest Catch and when the sinking happened, it made some of the captain’s question why did as sturdy as the Rose sank. One of them found out that he should carry less pots. What a wake up call.
It's a frightening wake-up call to anyone to suddenly realize what you thought you KNEW was safe would have, eventually, come to kill you. Props to the people who learn from tragedy and make the necessary changes. What's ten or twenty pots (X#of strings laid) worth compared to your, your crew's, and your boat's safety?
@@tidan4575 I admit that I am way behind and missed the details of the Destination's sinking. Did they establish it was overloaded and icing? edit: Yes, it certainly looks like it was the case. Sad. Clear that ice, boys, and make a safety set of pots if you have to!
@@chrismaverick9828 Yeah I've read a lot of research into the F/V Destination. The same exact root cause that sunk the Scandies Rose, sunk this vessel: incorrect stability instructions. Extreme weather, fatigue, and a defective life raft also contributed to the sinking and loss of all souls on board. The Coast Guard required all vessels to carry two life rafts aboard at all times since.
The Zodiac boats that broke the Open Season and made it Limited Entry in a single season, carried 300 pots. They passed all their stability tests, then sank.
I wish more documentaries like this would be more mainstream. People need to learn the sacrifice that was made to provide there food that is otherwise viewed as a convinced. I work for a major grocery provider and it always pains me for the lack of respect customers have for the food on the shelves that people risk there lives to provide. Thank you for the time you spent on making this video.
I knew Gary Cobban Jr well and he did everything to save his crew. He did his safety drills and the crew spoke of Gary as a number one Capt. He was a careful Captain and very well loved and talked about very highly in the fishing fleet. The Video you showed was very interesting and very well done. Thank you for doing this. God Bless all the crew on the vessel and all their families A big thank you to the U.S. Coast for all you do for the Fishing Fleet, you guys go above and beyond the call of duty.
Thank you for making an honest detailing of the findings from the Coast Guard and NTSB Marine Investigation. Just a slight correction, My Brother's name is David Leigh Cobban, not David Lee Cobban. Also you are one of the first people I have heard actually say our last name correctly, so thank you for that as well.
My deepest condolences to you and your family Barbara. My apologies and thanks for the correction. Unfortunately RUclips doesn't allow those type of edits to videos but I will go ahead and state the correction to his name in description and in my pinned comment.
I went to a maritime college for a couple years. We trained on how to put on the immersion/survival suits (Gumby suits). We practiced putting them on in a controlled environment next to a pool. In these controlled and perfect conditions; it was still incredibly difficult to put on and even more difficult to maneuver from the platform to the pool. I can only imagine the difficulty of putting one on in the middle of chaos while panic sets in. I can only hope a better design has come out since.
New design have been made, I tried one a month ago, there slightly easier to get in but we’re still far from optimal and most boat still use the old ones…
@@mryftne6316 Yeah, and sadly, some boat owners likely won't want to spend the money on newer ones until the Coast Guard forces them to replace the old ones. I understand to an extent though as profit margins can be very tight in the fishing industry and buying suits you may never need seems like a cost you can postpone until you absolutely have to.
One of the trucks, besides doing maintenance on the suits, is having plastic bags in them. You stick your feet in the bag and they slide in my faster and easier. Not something you can normally do during a sinking, you have to be prepared in advance.
Thank you for doing such a good a few little details off but very respectfully done! I worked for this company for 20 years, Gary was my partner boat since I became a captain 20 years ago, my little brothe dean, he and john had just fished king crab with me 6 weeks prior this couldn’t hit any closer and thank you for showing so much respect in this video Also John tragically passed on Halloween in a motorcycle accident…
Captain of the Scandies Rose did what many other captains shamefully failed to do. Put his crew first and ultimately went down with the ship making sure they had every opurtunity to make it. His family and friends should be proud.
I cannot imagine what Dean and John went through mentally as all of this was occurring. Their resolve to survive is incredible and heroic. Bless all who contributed in their survival. ❤️
@@BeringSeaCrabFishing ---- sometimes life gets down to living second by terrifying second! Do you think you both helped the other to survive? Helped the other to think things through, there by increasing your own chances of surviving this ordeal! If it isn't too personal, what did you talk about while waiting all of those hours for rescue? I would have sat there in silence, dumb struck by it all. So I'm really curious what people talk about at times like that. Or if they talk at all! I'm very, very glad you both made it! What a compelling story! It would be such a tremendous honor just to shake your hand! Do you think you will ever work on a fishing boat again? Or your friend, will he? All of the very best to you both, now, and in the future, always! Paul in Chicago And if you are ever in Chicago, the drinks are on me! Dinner, drinks, whatever, it's on me!!! Both of you! What an honor it would be to meet you both!!!
Many of the stories Brick Immortar highlight the incompetence, laziness or greed of people or organisations that either cause or stop the affected victims from dealing with the situation. Here we have a well constructed and maintained vessel, a Captain that made sure his crew where as well trained as they could be. They did nothing "wrong" as per industry standards, yet circumstances made sure it wasn't enough, the Coastguard where simply Heroic. I have no other word for them, they took things right to the edge to try and save others. Such a tragedy, everyone did everything "right", no greed, carelessness or incompetence and still they got caught out.
It makes you wonder, which stories are more tragic: the ones where greed and incompetence are to blame; or ones where, despite everything and everyone being above board, things still fail.
@@Anon_Omis neither. That’s my belief. Dying in bed at 80, getting shot in a war, being killed in a warehouse fire due to greedy owners, it’s all the same outcome. People die, some live. The family grieves and the world moves on. And we make things like these videos to try and learn or make sense of it.
As a Naval Architect, this is my worst nightmare. I can’t imagine the hell the engineer who did these calculation went through afterwards. There are so many times when assumptions have to be made for stability calcs. I hope this report is read by every NavArch who ever does stability calcs for crab bots.
Thanks for the comment. It is easy to blame the naval architect, if no-one else. But as you say, they also just tried to do their job, even if they may have demonstrably failed to do it right. All we can do is try not to repeat the same mistake. If getting nightmares helps you to avoid that then that's a small price to pay. Trying to find a person to blame for a tragedy almost never gets to the true cause. It's never "human error". There are always some underlying systemic problems. That's why accidents like this one can be such important lessons, if analyzed correctly.
@@renerpho Exactly. We're still learning not to post blame on ourselves or each other for when bad things happen. As a side religious note, that's what I believe Jesus died for. He of all people wants us to stop blaming ourselves and each other for our sins and learn to love ourselves and each other despite our flaws. That what He does for us and paid the price unconditionally. He has our back no matter what. He's not going to just give up on His creation...on His children that easily.
@@tidan4575 Really like your side note. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself... And the older I get, the more I learn to love the Serenity Prayer.
There should be some kind of roll-righting motion that sets off alarm bells. The moment it is felt, that boat should head for calm waters or hove to or call for mayday right then. You can't soldier on in those conditions, with ice still building up.
There's nothing more heartbreaking to know, than the fact that the captain stayed on station, desperately making calls to the coast guard and all on open channels, halfway inside his immersion suit , possibly holding his son and both of them terrified but committed to saving whoever they possibly could, going down like the Titanic's Marconi telegraph operator, kicking and screaming to save as many lives they possibly could while mother nature dragged her claws deep inside and ripped their lives out from under them. Amazing video, thank you.
I was a US Navy sailor of over 18 years. Dying when your ship goes down is the loneliest and hardest way to die. You know your loved ones will never see you again nor will they ever get to say goodby.
@@ronaldgreen8423 On the Saginaw '77-'79. PC3, I ran the ship's Post Office. According to the Lt. who had the con that night, during ops in the Med off the coast of Sardinia, we came within 5 degrees of capsizing. All weather decks were secured and all hands ordered to their racks. I believe were carrying 400+ Marines and thousands of tons of their gear. I will never forget the ship wide shudder when the ship plowed head-on into heavy seas.
@@RM-pg4js Big difference is the El faro was a slow ride to their graves with plenty of chances for a different outcome. They were tortured by the captain as they knew they'd likely die. The SR was a fast onset and rapidly deteriorating situation where it's hard to make the best call when you can't get enough information fast enough. The men found out at the last moment they were goners and hopefully did not suffer for long with their fate RIP to both crews
I can't thank you enough for including land measurements alongside nautical ones. These other channels just assume we're all grizzled old sea dogs who know exactly how fast a knot is
I feel this so much. Growing up with imperial, I still have a hard time "thinking" in metric. Sure, I can use it on paper just fine, but my frame of reference is imperial. Metric is just a completely different language to me in that regard; in a similar manner, having terrestrial measurements alongside nautical ones is such a godsend when trying to communicate perspective through videos like these. Nice touch, Brick!
@@Dockhead oh 100%. No bs conversions, just base 10, metric is a joy on paper. I just haven't internalized metric for real-life interactions. If you asked me to walk 10 meters, my estimate would be off by a country mile. I've got Celsius down pretty well so far, just have the rest of it to figure out
@@majestc Having grown up with metric, but working with people who use imperial, I completely understand. Imperial can be fun to use (please everyone forgive the blasphemy!), but I still have to convert back to metric every single time. It reminds me of my parents converting everything to the old currency when we switched to Euros.
I am an independent electronics tech who did a lot of work on Scandies Rose, and Amatulli for that matter and I considered Gary to be a friend. When I heard that she sank I was devastated. I corresponded with the Coast Guard investigators several times as they know that I had worked on her. It turns out that repairs on her single side band radios not long before this trip which were both not working at all were the only reason they were able to summon any help to the rescue. I had recommended that I wire GPS into their DSC VHF radio but the owners didn't want to spend the money at that time. I wish they were all rescued, but at least two were rescued. When it comes to safety at sea, expense should be the least of your concerns IMHO. If the DSC was wired with GPS, Gary could have pushed a button and the vessel near them could have responded and potentially saved them all.
@@im_flat I'm okay and thanks for your concern. I'm just sad that I couldn't have done more for their safety. I'm always worried about the safety of the crew of any boat I work on.
@@jazzmanny02 unfortunately this is a hard thin line to walk. Safety costs a ton of money and when profit margins are razor thin it suddenly becomes a matter of eating or not eating. At the time they had the required safety gear and communications needed. It wasn't the latest and greatest but it was supposed to have done its job. That's the catch that small owner operators face, you can spend all the money in the world as long as it isn't your own. But as an independent owner you're suddenly having to make gut wrenching decisions. You don't a big company backing you if you have a shitty season and spend an ungodly amount of money on Safety gear. I wish Safety equipment was cheaper, but like everything else, there's a huge cost upfront until the manufacturer and r&d teams can recoup their investments and mass produce it to lower the price. The good news is that this brought about some very wide spreading changes and proved that there were mistakes made based on faulty information that the crew had no control over and it brought to light more awareness of the deadly impact the sudden and rapid increase in ice has. It also forced the government to get something off the ground faster that could (and should have) helped to keep this from happening. All in all, it wasn't a failure of Safety equipment so much as a series of small errors and oversights that contributed to this accident. Just like in the aviation world, the best thing to do is learn, adapt and overcome. That's the best legacy we can give the crew, which is make sure that a similar thing doesn't happen because the tools and knowledge wasn't there. Granted I'm sure there are going to be other wrecks that will have the same issues but they would hopefully be because of the failure of the crew and not for a lack of resources and knowledge.
Sorry to say it. But it wouldn't have saved them all. 2 Survival suits with bodies didn't make it out of the Wheelhouse. Were the other 3 missing Crew are is unclear. What may have saved the other 3: if they had survival Suits on, would be the Personal Locator Beacons. The wiring of the GPS into the DSC may have given Gary the Time to get in his own equipment faster, as he didn't had to give the lengthy Mayday, but i guess he would have done it in anyway, as the Ship was frozen over and what was working was speculative. Gary gave his life to transmit the coordinates, and he would done it again, not knowing wether the DSC was scrambeld or not. Speech has an advantage that the human brain can fill in garbled Transmissions. What saved the two Survivors was: They abandonded Ship in Survival Suits while the others were struggeling or panicking and the Survival Gear, even damaged, worked with several Failovers. What prolonged their misery was the failed locator Beacon, having Personal ones and one at the Life Raft would improve that. They may have nightmares about whom they may have saved or not. But it was the only correct decission, to leave the confined space, after one was not responding, and the others hampered by the keeling over ship, they gave them more room.
Truly heartbreaking how at the start of the video you can hear the full mayday call and you can hear the son yelling "Dad!!!!" ....... sobering stuff. Very respectful and well presented video my friend.
Gosh..I recall a Deadliest Catch episode where a boat and crew were lost. Too much for words. Thanks for this report and tribute. My sympathy and respect to all in this profession.
Time and again, these rescue groups show how lucky we are to have them among us. Willing to put their own lives at risk to find others who are very much in need of help. They deserve and have earned our collective gratitude and thanks beyond measure. May those who's lives were lost that day, rest in peace.
I think the Captain's insistence on safety drills made the survival of at least two crew men possible. They knew the priority was to put on the survival suits and helped each other.
I agree. Some things just are not survivable. One would reasonably expect this sinking to be a non-survivable accident. The fact that two men survived regardless is a result of their preparation.
Sounds like most of the crew, the captain included, were in utter disbelief this was happening to them. And the shock led to a state of confusion that proved deadly. Even when making the mayday call the captain sounded flabbergasted. Dean and John immediately realized the severity of the situation and survived because of it. It's the classic you never know how you're going to react when shit hits the fan. Just because one trains on safety procedure doesn't always mean everyone understands or takes it seriously. Complacency can set in, especially with experience. The "days without accident" chart is scary at both ends...
I was an Oiler/Stoker on a Canadian Government owned research vessel for 5 years and in that time I never had any training about safety and not that it matters because I probably would have figured out how to put on my Survival Suit but they never trained me about that
Absolutely true statement. So instead of being responsible for other people's deaths, which is untrue. In actuality is responsible for documented drilling, that gave 2 of his crew the knowledge to stay alive
The US Coast Guard: the forgotten military branch and the butt of many jokes, that will still rescue you in conditions the other branches would consider unsafe.
The only service that is dedicated to their informal motto, "You have to go out for them, You don't have to come back". Like the fire service rescuing others is paramount and a Godly duty. Kudos to all!
Me 2. I just moved here to Kodiak last year from Sitka, and though I'd heard of the disaster we all pay more attention to the ones in our own area. This was a terrific production and has helped me settle in a little more in my new home. Thanks for this!
Are there any more compellingly horrifying tales of the human conditions than the ones we tell of maritime disaster, ones where we will truly never know what really happened before the sea swolled these massive vessels and all the poor souls that went with it. Such great content. Thanks for the hard work.
it's nice seeing a story where the crew did everything right and the fault ultimately came down to factors that nobody predicted would work in tandem, with the accident leading to prompt and significant changes that help improve the safety of the rest of the industry going forward.
I don't know anyone that passed, but I am a fan of Deadliest Catch. This was heartbreaking to see on tv and can't even imagine how awful it is for those who knew these men. RIP.
I've been watching it for years and everytime I hear a mayday mayday mayday or a Pon Pon Pon my heart sinks. It feels like your losing one of your own it sucks. Seeing sigs reaction was rough
I'll echo the comments of others on how well thought out this is. One thing that struck me was at 25:08 when you say that both made a "quick physical recovery". The inclusion of the word "physical" acknowledges that emotional and mental recovery takes much longer, if it happens at all. This shows an attention to the writing of the script that lesser presenters can lack.
@@dogcarman It is a very important addition. According to his family, survivor John Lawler struggled with the trauma until his own death last November.
I very much appreciate your thoughtful comment. Dean suffers with this every single day and has nightmares just about every night of what he heard and saw. His life will never be the same. It was truly a miracle he survived.
Thank you ❤ having to deal with the aftermath is almost worse. I relive it everyday it consumes my thoughts. I never In a million yrs thought this is how it would be im disgusted and destroyed and just hurt by the way we've been treated I believe Jon would still be here if it was different..😞 but thank u for your kind words.
Thanks for this. Seth was an acquaintance of mine - we'd camped with the same group at Burning Man for a couple of years. I was shocked to hear of his loss, and this is the first explanation I've seen of what happened. Oddly enough the last night I'd have been around Seth was the night I found out I'd lost a friend in the fire and sinking of the Conception. 2019 was not a good year for my seafaring friends.
People wonder why the cost of crab is so high at their grocery stores. This is exactly what the cost is and it’s a hell of a way to make a living. My hart goes out to the men and their family’s. Your a brave group of people that understand the risks and get the job done. Stay strong!
Tough group of dudes who do that. Man I grew up around old school 1930s-1980 loggers and minners I thought those guys where hard ass's. Sat with a gentleman at a bar in Denver Colorado while waiting on a plane this Easter, that man had some crazy stories. His boat docs in dutch harbor, he had some pictures and videos to back it up, and in every video he sowed me it sounded like they had been having the times of there lifes ridding out those narly swells. Iv been in the ocean off the oregon coast plenty of times but the rough sea's he showed me in said videos would make me never go out that far lol.
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING. THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE SEA FOOD DON'T THINK ABOUT HOW THE FOOD GET TO THEM. IT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT. IT'S NOT LIKE GOING TO YOUR FAVORITE LAKE & GETTING THE SEA FOOD. GIVE REMEMBERANCE TO ALL WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES (IN THE PAST & NOW) TO GET THE GOODS TO THE PUBLIC. THE SON NOT LEAVING HIS FATHER SIDE JUST BROKE MY HEART ( HE LOVED HIS DAD & HIS DAD LOVED HIM.) THAT WAS VERY TOUCHING IN A VERY SAD MOMENT. THIS TRAGIC STORY WAS WELL PREPARED & UNDERSTOOD BY THIS NOVICE (ME). MY PRAYERS GOES OUT TO ALL THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES. AND TO ALL THE RESUCERS. ESPECIALLY THE COAST GUARDS WHO RESCUED THE TWO SURVING PEOPLE FROM THE DOWNED SHIP.
I wish people who work on these boats get paid to describe why crab is so expensive in your grocery store. I lived in Alaska for 5 years and heard story's about crew members on these boats getting cheated for their work.
This crew overloaded and didnt follow de-icing procedures. Their boat wasnt balanced well either. This is 1 in a million. However, it is very dangerous in other ways i agree.
I really don't know how you guys do it but THANK YOU, because I would think your hard work gives the families and friends of all those poor souls, in all your videos, a larger voice and presence for both remembrance and justice.
Y'all are so missed. I knew Brock. I truly believe he too wouldn't leave Gary, David & Art behind.. I wish this had all gone differently.. Never happening.. It was NO FAULT of Gary! He was 1 of the best!! It was a true tragedy.. Forever missed Brock, David, Art, Seth & Captain Gary 🖤 'Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea'' Love ya Brock Xo
What a great presentation. The host narrates with rare eloquence. "People aren't perfect. No human or group of humans is. There is no pure good or evil, no bright line for right or wrong. We're all caught in the churn, trying to co-exist somewhere in the middle." That's just one example of his skill. I've seen a few videos from this channel, and I've seen enough to know that I want to see more. Thank you for producing this content. Subscribed.
Tasteful and well done. This one was especially heartbreaking because, as mentioned throughout, the captain, crew and equipment were in-regs and conducted professionally. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.
I'm currently in Alaska working on a very similar ship. I pray to God for our safe return and the return of my fellow mariners. God bless boys and Godspeed. We just made that same trip from homer to false pass and now we are sitting waiting for our clients near Dillingham. This hits home real hard. ALASKA BITES AND IT BITES HARD. we play a dangerous game boys, and not everyone makes it back alive. HOLD FAST.
This might be one of the few accidents I have heard where the crew seemed to have completely accurate decision making. That ship was essentially doomed to go down as soon as it departed. Crazy.
The captain definitely saved those two lives and did the best he could given the circumstances. I’m also impressed with the boat owners keeping up with maintenance, regs and participating in the class development. Good changes came from this horrible tragic loss.
@@Revkor The only issue with this assessment is that other experienced captains would have done differently in Gary Cobban's shoes. Gary was well within his experience as a captain to not clean the ice off the pots and the hull, and unfortunately due to miscalculations paid the ultimate price. No fault of his own, it's merely a tragedy to learn from and change for the better.
Great job with this. As a fan of “Deadliest Catch” I remember the episode when the Scandies Rose sank, and the impact it had Sig Hansen, Bill Wichrowski, and the rest of the captains and crews. Thanks for a respectful detailing of this tragedy.
Omg! I watched this episode and never forget Sigs and boys devastation at receiving the news. It hit Sig in the guts. Thank you for this eloquent explanation. God speed Scandies Rose and the men she took with her 🌹
Last episode a never before seen you could see Sig talking to his wife saying he was gonna pack it in, and you could hear her saying yes, yes come home now. It dangerous, and scary, and its even scarier how quick a ship can go down. My thoughts and prayers to all the men ad women out there working to have a better life. Great job on the video. Made me really think how precious life is.
I went to school with David. He’s one of the people that taught me how to play Magic the Gathering from, and was an all around great guy and amazing friend. It was devastating when I got the news, and I wish I could play just one more game with him. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone.
Hey Alistair! Haven't seen you in quite a while. I remember you coming to the house to play Magic with David.. I always enjoyed having all the boys underfoot whether you guys were playing Magic, Pokémon or having LAN parties for Halo and other Xbox games. I hope life is treating you well.
@@j3dwin thank you. This whole process has been very hard. I am really, really glad a decent and well thought out video has been made. I have watched a few others that were terrible and had very little in the way of facts.
Excellent coverage of this tragic event. It’s little short of a miracle that the 2 crew members survived, a testament to good operating practices, skill,endurance,and of course the heroic efforts of the coastguard crews. I have fished all my life on the west coast of Scotland, and never take the sea for granted. My condolences to all who were affected by this tragedy. Stay safe out there brothers,and sisters! 🏴
I crab fished in Alaska for about 3 1/2 years. I remember when the Rose got into Dutch Harbor. Had to clear ice quite a few times. Amazing how fast it can build up.
Absolutely heartbreaking. My sympathy also extends to the 30 year career stability analyst who made errors that ultimately resulted in loss of life. I am a retired analyst that deals with budgets and I know how I felt when I have made an error with money much less a life that hangs in the balance. Just awful for this person and their family.
This is so incredibly sad. I can't imagine how hard it would be not to panic when you've been operating with full confidence that you've ticked every safety box in the book and suddenly you're sinking anyway.
@@astridvvv9662 well OK captain Astrid. Your decades of experience no doubt makes you an armchair expert well above the actual experts, who did not fault the captain of the vessel. BTW, your description isn't accurate. Listen again.
@@astridvvv9662 17:20 It wasn’t the captain hyperventilating and screaming they’d die, it was the crew. Just rewatch the video and you’ll find that most of your complaints appear to be directed towards the panicked crew and not the captain
So true, and tragically. We get by because most ships complete most of their voyages. But the sea has a range of tricks that happen during extraordinary circumstances. A ship could probably be built to survive them, but it would have little practical use.
@@jonshaw840, tthomas, People hear what they want to hear, obviously this person has no seagoing experience, in foul weather the situation can change in seconds and throw the most experienced shellback off the track. I fished the Great Australian Bight where the seas roar up from the Antarctic, but at least we had no ice to contend with.
This is a prime example that even when everything is done right, things can still go wrong. Captain Gary exemplified astonishing leadership, safety, and attention to detail. Although 5 lives were lost, his ability to react in the face of adversity saved 2 lives and that is an accomplishment within itself.
I was on the rose in 88 89 and I was under Leif nordbo.. he was an excellent captain and a great fisherman.. I was working with Steve eisenegger and times were tough during the winter.. the rose was a great boat ..I'm sure captain Gary and crew did all they could to avoid the sinking.. sometimes everything just isn't enough.. RIP to all lost.. you wille always be in our thoughts.. love and the utmost respect
I had just left my job as a utility vessel captain on the Puget Sound and inside the Ballard locks when I heard the news of the Scandies Rose. I was absolutely floored to hear she had sunk. While I didn’t know the Captain and crew it was clear that she was a very well kept boat. One of the finest I would regularly see as we worked up and down the Ballard cut. I hope those brave men lay in rest, and that their families find peace until they see their loved ones again.
This was an incredibly well researched and executed documentary. As a former USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner this is every captain and crews nightmare, hell this was my nightmare. I was stationed in Anchorage when this happened (but retiring out, and working pollution response at the time so I wasn't involved in this case). If anything it tells me we need to take a moment to do a huge overhaul of our fishing fleet in the US, especially pot boats. As inspectors we were always a little wary of big pot boats sailing out with their pots stacked all the way up to the bridge. To realize that all the stability plans were BS now and based on bad #'s just makes me so angry. Those people trust those numbers, we trust those #'s. The only thing I'd say that might have helped save more lives in this disaster is more training. I wish the captain had tripped the general alarm and woken people up sooner, I wish they had been able to get their suits on faster, I wish they had a working EPIRB and had all gotten out of the bridge. This is all stuff that can be helped by additional drills and training, until its a reflex. That's not to blame anyone... because people behave differently in traumatic situations... but constant drills make it almost like a muscle memory. But I also know Shelikof strait is a nightmare that time of year and the icing can be unbelievable. Thank you for making this.
i wholeheartedly agree with you on more training,one can be prepared and follow every safety rule etc but the mental training,from drills, to totally switch on when you know something serious is up is paramount.
Please Jeffery, not more regulations. How many times have we been in the weather making ice, and something gotta happen. Gotta get out of the trough, slow down, or get the pots off the boat . To slow down, somebody get their gear on, walk the rail, go around the stack, check out the ice, the scuppers. And then get the boat going again, if it's good.
@@BeringSeaCrabFishing Finally a couple guys in the comments who have a clue. Not realizing that wind was affecting the list? That blows my mind. I mean what direction do you normally list when it's blowing like that, and you aren't icing up? Never even made an ATTEMPT at getting at least SOME of the pots overboard? The boat went down in 26 fathoms of water, they could have got them back easy enough, buoys or not. And, like you said he didn't even wake up the guys. He didn't wake up ANYONE!? FFS, Did he even know he was in trouble? Lastly guys, if you are convinced the boat is going down, just jerk the epirb manually if you can. Don't trust everyone’s life on a hydrostatic release.
I would normally not watch a video like this but I was mesmerised from start to finish. Such a sad story and sadly lives have to be lost on many occasions to make safety better. Thank you for an outstanding, informative, educational and detailed production. My deepest condolences to the families xx
The sheer bravery of all fishermen and boat captains and crew blows my mind. They know how dangerous their job is and do it anyway. It's wonderful to hear you give the victims tribute
The scariest moments in my life, which actually did seem like hours, was almost going down in a horrible storm on Lake Huron in an old wooden boat. I know it's not the high seas but those lakes can get brutal and we were both sure we were going down, it was frantic to say the least. I'm just saying I have a slight idea of what those poor fellows went through and it is the most hopeless, bottomless feeling a soul can have. My condolences to their family and friends. Special kind of brave people who make their living out there.
There is no doubt whatsoever that ocean-like brutal conditions can happen on the Great Lakes and that they kill. Huron and especially Superior are very cold, as well.
I ran right into a rain hidden waterspout in the Pamlico Sound back in 2008, in a little 17ft crabbing boat. Still the most scared I've ever been in my life, was about to blow the entire boat over but I turned with the wind and it shot me right out!
It's pertinent that you took the time to address an all-too-common attitude some listeners fall into, that of judging based on what information is addressed in any video. I confess I get lazy as well - but I feel sorrow for the families of the fishing vessel. You did good research; the ocean can and has overcome the best laid plans of humans before, and no doubt will again.
As said on Patreon, that was extremly well done. The animations, the detailed information, the whole presentation, honestly, your productions values keep getting better and better.
Yeah, it's refreshing to see this kind of production on youtube. Most other channels nowadays just read from a script and use stock images and videos they found on the internet.
My brother runs a commercial crab boat. When nature decides your time is up, it’s up. He has told me, and his captain, of some of the conditions that they’ve been in where no man or force on earth could save them if things went wrong. It is an industry fraught with danger and dealing with unpredictable nature. Bless the crew who lost their lives
I've been an avid watcher for well over a year. These are so well written and narrated. I appreciate each and every episode. The presentation of facts, and emphasis on Safety promoted such a good message. Great Job.
I really appreciate the way you edit your presentations. Calm and precise without the sensationalism that is so common in our time. I also appreciate your thorough research, since most people don’t have or don’t know how to find access to the necessary information and documents.
I have been a fishing vessel skipper for over 40 years. There is one thing I have learnt never underestimate the weather. So often the forecast is nothing like the conditions. Also things always seem to wait to break during the worst possible times. All of us old fishermen have mates lost at sea. terrible for the families of them. Thanks for the great story Brick.
Your videos are reliably well-researched, but I was especially impressed by how sensitive and thoughtful you were here. This was just a sad case of imperfect knowledge from experts and regulators about extremely dynamic and complicated scenarios. There is no blame to be found in an experienced captain and crew relying on highly-respected experts. I appreciate you noting that this tragedy- especially given the competence and expertise of the captain and crew- directly led to changes that have undoubtedly saved lives. Thanks!
I worked w/ Gary in Bristol Bay, Naknek, for 13 years. He was an awesome skipper and one the nicest guys you could hope to meet. He always had a kind word and made a point to say hello. He always reminded me to grab a snack or coffee from the galley when I was gathering his fish-tickets and helping out w/ the he dock-crew on deck. Such a tragedy. RIP.
I love that you talked about all the things that changed in the industry after the disaster. Imo that takes it from gawking at a tragedy to a respectful historical/ informational video. Very well done
As a mariner I respect the elements and how fast things can change, for any number of reasons I also very much respect this thorough production without any over dramatization RIP to the crew who didn't make it And blessed are the ones who survived
stories like this are why i could never set foot on a vessel in those waters. RIP to all the brave men and women who lost their lives trying to provide for their loved ones.
I work in Alaska every summer and I miss seeing the Scandies Rose tendering for Salmon season. What’s even more sad is we pass over the wreckage sight every time we head to the bay.
After my first year in the Navy, I developed a whole new respect for fishermen. You learn real fast about being in the middle of nowhere with no help coming anytime soon.
Very well presented. I ran coastal/ocean going tugs towing cargo barges for many years in Alaska. The crossing from from Shelikof to Kupreanof in the winter can indeed be a bear. Spent my share of time “jogging” (running short back and forth courses) in protected waters waiting for a weather window to make that crossing. Willawas will definitely rearrange your things. I’ve seen them knock over or stove in stacks of chained 20 and 40 foot cargo containers, strip antennas, break windows, blow the covers of radars, heel the boat over a few degrees and once when jogging in Castle Bay southwest of Sutwik Island one took my anemometer from atop the wheelhouse as neatly as if someone cut the wires and walked off with it.
Wow, that's incredible. Did you enter an observation in the log along the lines of, "Winds unknown, as anemometer mounting sheared off by gusts; mounting was rated at 150 knots."?
Good one. LOL. No, to be honest really only used the anemometer to confirm what the Beaufort wind scale was telling me visually. Did have a good conversation with National Weather Service Kodiak about it. I will say this: my operational parameters were vastly different than fishing vessels. Tugs and barges don’t make the same speeds an unencumbered crabber can, and the same crossing they could make safely at speed we could not when it was icing and would wait for the weather to improve. Icing is always a concern when it comes to stability. You can make all the best decisions, and still get caught out because the weather you expected was not the weather you got. Then you lay up and spend time breaking ice off your superstructure and shoveling it overboard. You trust your Stability Letter is correct. In a fair world they would have made safely it to the Shumigan’s, cleared the ice off and continued on. It truly is sad the loss of life from the Scandies Rose sinking.
My grandfather was a Rotterrdam shipwright who used to accompany the tugs into the north sea/arctic omn their proving runs - pretty sure the only thing i can appreciate about how dangerous what you and he did is that i will never full understand how dangerous it is out there.
Thank you so much for your video on this. I was worried when I started watching, that you'd find fault with Captain Cobban. While I never met him or his son, I've known his daughter and her husband for many years, and they are good people.
Thank you for doing such a thorough job with this story. Your story honors the men lost at sea, the men who survived, and it will save lives in the future. Well done.
The fact that a mayday call was made AT ALL is a testament to the readiness of the crew and training level of the crew. The EPIRB failed, so without the "old fashioned" HF SSB voice radio mayday call, I agree that the two survivors would have probably never been found and the fate of the ship probably never known. Even with satcom systems, an EPIRB (which is a satellite based distress/position transmitting system). The captain saved those sailor's lives with that radio call, even though he had to have known that the time spent making it were valuable seconds, seconds he could have been spending donning his survival suit and exiting the bridge. In his mind he must have known his vessel was equipped with an EPIRB and given the well-maintained nature of the vessel in general, he probably fully expected the EPIRB to function normally. So you can do things by the book, maintain your vessel, and keep your crew trained and ready for emergencies and still have loss of life because of a rapid loss of stability. Because "the book" itself was incorrect. Excellent presentation, especially your point about research. Thank you.
Apparently the USCG is continuing shore based voice radio watches on 4125 kHz USB (which is the distress/safety/calling frequency that the Scandies Rose mayday call was made on) specifically because of this incident. USCG discontinued voice radio monitoring of 2182 kHz USB but continues monitoring 4125 kHz USB and the 6 MHz / 8 MHz / 12 MHz HF SSB voice emergency frequencies, as well as the DSC MF/HF frequencies and of course VHF CH 16 (voice) and VHF CH 70 (DSC). Note that SOLAS regulations and U.S. regulations require that all ships maintain listening watches on 2182 kHz USB and VHF channel 16 (*and* VHF channel 13 if the ship is above a certain size). Most oceangoing vessels have a dedicated receiver for DSC, a dedicated VHF AIS transceiver and a SSB radio with DSC capability that reverts to either the 2182 kHz or 4125 kHz distress/calling frequencies when you switch it on, and include the “distress button” that automatically transmits a distress message, including GPS location via digital protocol (DSC) via HF radio and SATCOM (if equipped) as required as part of the GMDSS. However, voice radio calls are still used for various reasons. Using both the modern DSC function as part of the GMDSS and making a voice mayday call on 4125 / 2182 (depending on proximity to land and other vessels) *and* VHF channel 16 in the recommended approach. Radio range over salt water is *significantly* better than over *any other surface*.
@@chippytwo7920 Sorry, it was the response to the fact that Mr Lawler had still lost his life after having to watch his ship and crewmates die, float around in the icy sea only to get rescued and die anyway. I just now noticed how you spelled it and I never ever correct peoples spellings its a sign of pompous assery! Sorry it just decided to put my shocked reply directly under yours which is stupid since I was the 5th person to reply and not the second. Sorry for the confusion
@@chippytwo7920 he wasn’t responding to you I think he was exclaiming about him dying so tragically soon afterwards but I get it, people on RUclips do like to try and act high and mighty. I hope he rests in peace.
As a 30 year resident of Sitka I am familiar with these vessels and what the crew does but have not been to sea on one. Very well produced documentary. RIP. ☮
Thank you so much for the presentation. I worked in a hotel where the crab boats and the regular fishing vessels would come in and stay overnight and get ready for they're fishing excursions I should say. So I knew the captain and the crew of this ship. I know it hit everyone of us very hard because they were very nice people they did everything to code. He was very OCD about his ship. I know a lot of crab boat people. I know all the people on The Deadliest Catch. I cannot watch that show they have written books about their experiences. To lose a boat it's very devastating to the community cuz everybody knows each other. And when they stay at the hotel you get to know them. Again thank you so much for breaking down this tragedy May our friends rest in peace. And thank you again for breaking this down
Until one has lived through situations like this you can have no real understanding of how fast mall things can escalate into impossible events to control.
From the very first second, that mayday call was chilling. Excellent production on this one, while remaining respectful as always. I love that more and more RUclips channels are taking of this genre/niche and also this style, instead of super energetic and disrespectful clickbait when covering such disasters. Thank you for being one of them!
Excellent recounting of this tragedy, natures ferocity should never be underestimate, it is always wise to take extra precautions, preparing for the worst, no doubt icing and wind direction played a significant part in this sinking, thank you for a very professional accounting of this event…
Usually the ship owners are the villains here, ignoring safety issues and not paying for improvements. However, this time the ship owner was not only not at fault but did everything in his power to prevent this accident from happening, and to prevent other ones happening in the future. I'm genuinely surprised and I think they deserve commendation.
*Correction to a misspelling in the ending tribute; The Captain's Son, David Leigh Cobban
▶MORE MARITIME:
Gulf of Alaska, The Northern Belle: ruclips.net/video/nGl9J8MFpFw/видео.html
Atlantic, El Faro: ruclips.net/video/-BNDub3h2_I/видео.html
North Atlantic, Ocean Ranger: ruclips.net/video/cyNFhthQ97Q/видео.html
Gulf of Maine, Emmy Rose: ruclips.net/video/BGtkMAoE-z4/видео.html
Tell me have you thought of doing something on oceanos or Darbyshire ?
Darbyshire wood be interesting in terms of how the ship failed during the sinking because there's an animation showing it basically imploding as it went down.
As for the oceanos I have a friend who made a documentary about it recently that you might want to get in touch with.
He's been researching the ships and its story for nearly 8 years now.
Thank you. The sobering thing is that there was not much the crew could do. The numbers they followed looked right. Their experience - it looked right. And yet lives were lost. They all got a curve ball. And only later - did an investigation find a need to recalculate the load and ice factors. 62 #'s per cubic foot. I" hope the lives lost - have given something up - to help those living. Not Cheers. Sir - Thank you!
Toss a coin to your researcher
Oh valley of ignorants
Oh valley of ignorants
Oh oh oh!
John Lawler- one of the two survivors- died in a motorcycle accident last October. According to a gofundme his sister set up, John "was left with severe PTSD, fear, anxiety, sadness" and was in a "constant nightmare state" since the sinking. Terribly sad.
Thanks for what you said! Decent job 👏 and respectful thank you. I've always liked your videos, I never thought I'd be in one...... wish it turned out better It was very fast.
Dean
I am the friend Gary (Captain Cobban) was talking to in North Carolina 2 hours before the mayday. Thank you for your interest in, and work on, this this project. I’ve read all the reports, watched the hearings, heard the behind the scenes discussions and in my estimation you did a superb job of laying it out accurately. Your illustrations help me better understand how everything happened. Thank you for your good work.
I'm sorry for your loss; He, and the rest of the crew, all seemed like good people. I wish you and all their friends and family the best.
I'm humbled to hear this Jeri and I appreciate your input. My deepest condolences to you and those affected by this tragedy.
Love you Jeri Lynn. I agree with you. This was a very, very well done video.
@@BrickImmortar It means a lot to those who love Gary that you made sure viewers know the captain was in no way responsible for the tragedy.
Gary made the ultimate sacrifice so that his crew had a chance of surviving. Without that distress call no one would have made it home. Prayers for Gary and David's family and all of all those lost in this tragedy.
As a former serviceman I know the Coast Guard gets crapped on a lot but those rescue swimmers are some of the bravest guys on Earth in my opinion. God bless them for having the balls to risk their own lives in such horrible conditions to save others.
Does the Coast Guard get crapped on a lot? I don't know people in the boating industry, but among laypeople, I've never heard someone complain about the Coast Guard.
I'm pretty anti-government. I think like 90% of government agencies should be gone. But the Coast guard is one of the only ones I think is good. Nobody is ever upset to be rescued from the ocean, why wouldn't you like the Coast Guard?
@@malcanth3481’ve never heard CG being crapped on either. It’s always about how brave the rescue swimmers and pilots are
I disagree with your comments about govt though.
I'm surprised the balls fit in the helicopter, if I was wearing a hat right now I would take it off to them.
@@malcanth3481 it's an inter-service rivalry kinda thing, we all give each other shit, but give the most to the CG (until Space Force got made) because "they aren't real military". Even though we know they work hard and risk their lives even more than anyone else during peacetime, especially in winter.
@@malcanth3481it’s mainly petty inter branch rivalry. The Coast Guard is Department of Homeland Security, not Department of Defense, so members of the DoD branches like to pick on the CG.
One of the 2 survivors died in a motorcycle crash last year. I really feel for the last guy left. I hope he’s getting the support he needs. I can’t imagine how he must feel with the only other he could relate to about that night being gone.
He actually responded to the pinned comment on this video, he seems to have a RUclips channel
Omg...is that right? People who are waiting around for life to be FAIR are in for a big disappointment.
@@scottshepard3662 Who said anything about life not being fair? Of course it's not, but that's not a reason to not want to have someone to share experiences and get support when things get shit.
Trauma is a horrible thing, but it helps to have someone there who understands it, and who doesn’t require a full explanation of what happened every time they are struggling. It must be hard enduring his alone.
@@scottshepard3662 I sure hope that if you experience something as horrific, people will show you more compassion than you show others.
Does trolling others make you feel better about yourself? Now THAT is sad.
The captain couldn't have known that the EPIRB would fail to trigger, but his heroism in risking his life to stay and place a mayday call while his crew donned survival suits is what really stuck with me about this story. Because of that mayday call and the heroism of the Coast Guard, this tragedy resulted in many safety recommendations that may save lives in the future. RIP to all those lost.
It sounds more like he locked up. I wouldn't call it heroism, more, realism. Not to bash on the guy but it sounds like the guy who got tossed out of his bed and ran up to the wheelhouse to figure out wtf was going on is the hero. "What's going on?" "I think we're sinking" hand proceeds to alert everyone to the fact that the ship was sinking. I don't think the captian realized what was happening and in the moment he locked up which wasted precious time they couldn't afford. I would imagine there's a "danger zone" with list, or there should be, where if you hit that level you get everyone up and ready to abandon ship if it becomes unrecoverable. I believe he said there was phone call about the 20 degree list? If not some people knew... if the captian had sounded the general alarm earlier they all should have survived. Do to inaction it cost people their lives. It's easier to take a survival suit off after the situation has been corrected than it is to put one on when the ship is going down.
I'm not trying to dog on the man when he's not here to defend himself but inaction is no action and while there was only a few minutes to make decisions there was enough time to get everyone in a position to be rescued. Making the mayday call after hands ask wtf is going on because they could tell something is seriously wrong isn't heroism.
@@jlo7770Not only are you talking bad about him, you're making up baseless assumptions about how he handled the situation before the vessel went down.
@@Wasteland88 It's not "baseless assumptions", did you watch the video, start at 14:00
@@jlo7770 Yeah that's actually a pretty logical take. If I was a crew member, if we got within 10* of the vanishing point I would want to be woken up. The fact that they weren't all already alterted by the time the captain accepted they were sinking is damning.
@@tictacman1000it's hardly damning, given the captain found out his ship was going down at the same moment his crew did, which was when the ship made the turn towards shelter. Until that moment the strong winds had been countering the roll caused by the asymmetrical ice buildup, which was accumulating faster than anyone had seen before due to a rare atmospheric phenomenon, and which had a greater impact than anticipated due to the stability calculations being incorrect. Up to that point there'd been no reason to raise the alarm, as the list was manageable and they expected to reach shelter and begin de-icing soon. After the turn however, the wind no longer resisted the weight of the ice, but added on to it by blowing across the ship from the opposite direction, which caused the dramatic roll that tossed the 2 survivors out of bed and brought everybody to the bridge.
Essentially, things went from 'tricky but doable' to 'oh shit we're going down' in a split second as the bow crossed the prevailing wind direction, and there was no point sounding an alarm for the crew as the last two who'd been sleeping had sprinted the few steps to bridge after being tossed from their bunks by the roll, so everyone was already together in the wheelhouse with the captain when they all learned the ship was going down.
The first line of the findings in the report says the captain's actions and decision making were not a factor in the accident, everyone involved who knew him or worked with him stated he was a stickler for following all safety protocols and making sure everyone had thorough safety training. It's unfair to claim his actions were 'damning' without taking the context of his actions into account.
I can’t imagine what the captain’s son was going through when his dad fell. My dad means the world to me and I don’t think I could have left him there either. Rest In Peace to all the victims, and especially to the son who refused to leave his father to die alone.
Made me think of the survivor of MS Estonia who had to leave his parents and girlfriend at the bottom of the heavilly leaning stairwell when they gave up mentally but they wanted him to survive if he could.
As a parent I wouldn't want my child to stand by me. I would want him to leave me and save himself.
What a huge los to the wife and mother.
@@principecaprincipeca2243I'm sure his father was telling him to leave too, but we act irrationally in the face of losing people we love. Sad.
Maybe the Captain got caught off guard and got swept up in the panic. Given a little more time to calm down he would have insisted his boy leave.
I would have stayed and tried to help and rescue my dad. The ONLY thing that would make me not do that and save myself, is if I had young children.
The captain's son wouldn't leave his father's side after he fell, that really tears at the heart strings, at least they were together in their last moments, and it shows the love they had for one another. We need more people of such character in today's world.
How would you live with yourself if you left your father to survive yourself? What a dreadful situation to have been in.
Father and son, dying under the line of duty. A warrior's death.
WELL SAID ................... WELL SAID
SO MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAT MONEY AN THINGS 💎🖐🦍💪🍁
Pretty sure any father would prefer their son leave them behind and save themselves so they could survive. However, can anyone really blame a son for refusing to do so? Not really.
@William Pulsfus I'm pretty sure the economy would tell you otherwise. All wars are intended to increase the economical growth of the host nation for all belligerents. It's why war is a thing. This is a ship engaged with a conflict of nature and lost lives in a brutal attack literally caused by the crab cages icing over. Their duty literally killed them and attacked while they slept. I see no difference between them and every sailor who died at sea during battle. They died putting food on our tables.
I was at the engine room controls of the coast guard cutter mellon in the bearing sea when the call came out, we came up on both turbines and steamed fast in their direction but could not make good time with how bad the seas were, it was a rough ride to say the least. I'll never forget that night. RIP to those lost.
Thank you for your service sir! Engine room to Captain you all risk your lives so others can live. God bless you sir!
Thanks to you you and the rest of our "Always Ready" Coast Guard -- you save so many lives and prevent so many other accidents, and we know that you and the rest of the crew did your best that terrible day.
What was your capable speed? I fished the Bering in '88 and our cruise was 7 knots at best-
Thank you and the crew for your efforts
@Whiskey Dear great compliment. My hats off to you as well.
Wow, not too often you hear a story where everything was reasonable. Ship in good condition, safety oriented captain, experienced crew, good communication, back plans for back up plans, just bad luck
"It is possible to make no mistakes and still loose." - Jean-Luc Picard
@@simon4781 yeah, disasters are sometimes because, well.. mother nature has decided it's time for you to die.
I have spent a lot of time on the ocean. The amount of things that can go wrong are infinite. You just try your best to follow procedure and best practices but you can never be 100% on the ocean. Mother nature is in control, we just try to survive.
I wonder if a system could be developed, That would release the pot stacks on command from bridge.
Maybe they could be on a buoy and line for recovery later.
That seems the only thing that may have saved the ship.
Bs... the captain completely messed up
My dad was lost in the sinking of the Pacific Surf in 1977. My mom and I saw him off on that trip at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. I go down to the memorial and visit him often
Bless you for visiting with him still.
I was on a 86 foot crab boat out of Kodiak in 77. One season and I was done.
I am not trying to reopen wounds, Tom, but from what Ive learned about the Pacific Surf, there was only one soul lost, with four rescued. Is that true?
@tomhansen6115, I read that article it says he suffered a heart attack inside the life raft.
Sorry for your loss my friend
I remember seeing the Scandies Rose on Deadliest Catch and even then, thinking "that's a ship whose captain will never let her sink". The tragedy of the Scandies Rose is truly a testament that the saltiest sailor, the most advanced technology, will always succumb to Mother Nature's will and only the bravest of men dare to challenge her. May all the souls lost to the sea rest in peace.
I don’t think the heroics of the coast guard can be overstated. For all intents and purposes that rescue mission the helicopter flew was dangerously close to a suicide mission, yet they went without hesitation and saved two lives. I remember watching deadliest catch when this happened; the captains were terribly shaken that such a well built and captained vessel could go down. Very well done doc about a horribly tragic event. God rest those souls
I have several Coasties three of who retired and they all took their jobs seriously! This story brought tears to my eyes!😢
I'm a retired USN Sailor. We give the Coasties jazz about being the "Green Water Navy", but we have enormous respect for the incredible job they do under unbelievable conditions.
I don't know what the criteria are for decorations in the C.G.,but that chopper crew deserves a commendation of some sort.
@@remaguireYeah that's banter. It's all fun and games but when the chips are down they're the folks you want to see
Amen. They put everything on the line to save others.
Just hearing what the coastguard pushed that chopper to knowing that there was a chance to find survivors tells you all you need know about those men. R.I.P.to the ones who lost there lives.
I've heard it describes as the Army/Navy/Airforce fight against your nation's enemies. The Coast Guard have declared war on nature itself and, not in this case, human foolishness
My father went down in 1999 on the Lyn-J. The coastguard found the capsized hull before it sank completely, debris and the captains body without a suit on. We knew 8-10 hours later that there's little to no chance my father would be rescued. We told them not to risk their own lives. They continued for a long time. I don't remember the exact figure. I have the utmost respect for them doing that for total strangers. I've been known to throw caution to the wind myself. I hope I would have the integrity to do the same if the roles were reversed. I was great full at the time. I always make sure to mention that every time the coastguard comes up in conversation. I knew Gary, and some of his family. This incident brought me right back to that day. This was a great documentary, and I'm glad they're looking at icing more realistically these days, as it was likely the cause of the Lyn-J sinking as well.
Is it possible to jetison the crab pots in such circumstances ?
@@robertwynn3453 I myself wouldn't think so. I've never stepped foot on a crab boat but from watching the show it takes a little time to untie a pot and move it using a crane I'm not sure if they have a emergency release for this kind of situation or not. I've never heard a captain on the show mention it.
I came to this video from the Sewol, massive difference in rescue effort.
I was on that boat back about 1990. There were four boats tied in a raft as the skippers all had a meeting, all us deck hands and engineers were exploring each others boats. The Scandies Rose was a beautiful boat with teak wood everywhere in the main cabin. I really wanted to work on that boat one day. Life had other plans for me when I left Alaska. Prayers for the crew and their family's.
sounds gorgeous. thank you for the imagery.
Retired Coast Guardsman here. Your team did a spectacular job of recreating this SAR mission!
Flying a helicopter in icing conditions is hazardous to begin with. The helo's anti-icing capabilities are pretty limited. The flight crew displayed brass balls by flying into the face of that powerful storm on the edge of their fuel limit. I'll bet that not one was thinking of turning back until the job was done. True professionalism!
Please do more incident recreations like this one. Thanks.
Thanks for your comment. Yeah I thought about that helicopter mission, that must've been something in itself.
Love you guys.
Im from kodiak and got stationed there 2 times on h-3 and c-130,early 80s
Thank you for your service SEMPER PARATUS!!
Because if you are out there and you need rescue, you hope someone will come for you. Those are the guys.
Rest In Peace to those amazing men. I worked for 1 season with Gary and Brock. I’ve worked on a few different boats over the years I fished, Gary was one of the nicest and safest skippers I’ve ever worked for and he was loved by everyone that knew him. Brock was a hoot to work with! Some of the best memories of my life. Im honored to have met and worked with those men and work on that beast of a ship. Gone but never forgotten!
I am proud to have known Gary, David, and Brock as competent, hardworking fellow fishermen that kept the Scandies safely maintained, and like the Destination, the tragedy was a complete shock to us all. We miss you guys
May their memories bless you.
Dude I love coming to the comments of videos like this and seeing folks directly related to the incident sharing appreciation for the hard work creators like BI because it shows the content is more legit. I come back to these channels because folks like you who seek out content based on these incidents find it actually respectful, accurate, and legitimate. I am always struck with the respect smd love y’all have for y’all’s lost loved ones. It makes me appreciate the gravity of the situation even more, reminds me of the humanity behind the videos. Much love to you and yours, safety in all weather, and peace
Never forget the guys reaction and it shows how small of a community the fleet is now compared to years ago. Anytime you lose a fisherman your losing a friend
They were all great fisherman. I had the pleasure 0f working with Seth for a couple years. One of the nicest thoughtful and respectful people I've worked with. Definitely the world is missing you guys. Rip
I worked shipyard on her in 2017 with Gary, David, Brock and my life long friend Art. This was very devastating news for me! Gary was ABSOLUTELY the best! David was the sweetest most innocent man I’ve EVER met even to this day! Brock was truly amazing and unique in a way that only Brock could be!
Art, such a great friend, mentor, fisherman and many other things that I couldn’t possible relate in RUclips comment!
R.I.P. my friends! You are all missed every single day!
I am really sorry, Brian. Reading your comment brought my own shit up and tears to my eyes. I feel your pain and hope you are able to carry it when it needs to be carried ... and letting it go in time. We all got to let go or parts of us stop living too and that, IMHO, is not what my and your dead friends would want.
May their memories continue to bless you on life's cloudy days.
RIP. Captain saved the lives of two of his crew with the mayday call which also provided location for extensive investigation on icing and ship location for family closure. Just a horrendous accident.
Sorry for your loss and Crab fishing community
I’m really sorry for your loss. It’s just terrible. I can’t imagine what they went through. These fisherman are some tough guys.
This story was really impactful for me in a way I had never really taken the time to think about before. Just out of highschool in 2012 I was on a fishing boat that sank extremely quickly off the alaskan peninsula, to my understanding it was a combination of dry wood from a new renovation and several days of badly angled rough waves that tore off a huge section of the hull. I didn't really think much about it at the time, we all did just as planned and were in the raft with survival suits on within 10 minutes of the first alarm. We got pulled out by a helicopter from kodiak maybe an hour later, we even had the captain's dog with us which the news loved.
It really never bothered me, I wasn't scared at the time and I never thought about it as more than a crazy story to tell. I even went straight from the the dropoff in kodiak back to fishing in chignik for the season. Only recently I've started to think about what had to happen for us all to survive so easily, and what happens here really puts than into perspective. I think the only reason we made it out is that the captain's father in law had taken a vacation to make the trip with us from washington up to alaska, so he had been careful about doing all of the safety drills and going over the new equipment the same week of the accident. He also made the mayday call and ordered us into suits just a few minutes after waking up and seeing the engine room flooding. By the time the raft was inflated and we all made it off the ship the deck was well under water, a few minutes later and it was rolling over.
I spent a long time watching this video just pausing and thinking about how I felt about the situation, and how insanely well we all made off in the end. Hearing about the sub finding the two crew members who suited up and still died in the cabin makes me appreciate my captain's decisions far more.
Exceptional call to make having just woken up, excellent decision making. I can understand how it must make you feel now though, when you're young you're convinced you're indestructable :-)!
Can you describe how you felt inside of the survival raft all alone in the ocean with your team before the helicopter 🚁 rescued u!??
Crazy to think how few minutes probably made the difference between life and death.
You had the “invincibility of youth” & everyone got to go home-but had a life been lost the entire situation would’ve had an enormous impact for you to deal with.
Fear comes with the decades we survive to live.
I’m SO GLAD you survived & didn’t have any problems at the time.
I think insight comes with maturity to review past events.
@@vizon-aryproductions6191 It was very surreal. There was a stressful moment right at the beginning when we couldn't find the safety blade to cut the rope tying us off to the boat, but someone had a pocket knife. It was maybe 10 or 11pm, just getting dark in that alaska summer way, but we could still see land 30-40 miles away. The water was a bit choppy, but the raft was pretty big and felt secure, and the tent kept us dry. The suits were plenty warm. I remember everyone being fairly calm, joking about making it off with the dog and whatnot. The mayday call had been answered so we knew someone would be looking for us eventually, but the one hour felt like an extremely long time to wait. At this point I think I would be absolutely terrified to go through the same situation again, we were drifting away from land out into the open, but in the moment my teenage brain was completely unfazed. I was the only one of the crew to run to my room and grab my phone/wallet before jumping ship 😂 Still using that wallet today...
I find it incomprehensible that other commentators on this tragedy could throw out baseless accusations of drunkenness and suchlike amongst captain and crew. I am a retired Chartered Engineer with 4 decades in offshore oil. To me accuracy and objectivity in these matters are paramount. I appreciate the approach of this channel.
Some people just seem to want to victim blame whenever they can, I think it might be a coping mechanism - a simplified worldview where only people who deserve to suffer are suffering.
It's not that surprising when you realize how cancerous social media comment sections typically are.
@@ollimoore Damn, you just blew my mind! That’s precisely what it is.
I am the chief engineer on the Saga. What a sad day that was. As far as the drugs and alcohol comments it happens to all of us. People don't realize the brutal conditions fisherman put up with. Lack of sleep , and the stress it puts on the body. So most fisherman look fatigued and those that don't realize that think the worst. Drugs and alcohol are not tolerated on most boats.
the only mistake I think the crew made was not deice earlier. nowadays you can have a good idea if weather i goign to get worst. better to decie while good then wait
This has to be the best comment section I’ve ever discovered. What a tribute to this work. I imagine it’s a small tribe of people that know one another, even if only through the word of mouth stories, which adds such a nice complexity to an already compelling tragedy.
Peace to all who have lost or were lost. 💔
As a captain myself, all I can say is I hope you do more videos like this. All Mariners can walk away with something, regardless of the type of vessel they are on. Thank you for taking the time.
Hi Captain Bailes, I am messaging you because your network is directly in contact with other sea farers and might spread quicker. With all this tech people have why things are still done primativly is surprising. Hasnt anyone ever tried hydrophobic materials on those surfaces for anti icing? What about heating elements in the rails and hull and deck. These ships are built for those conditions but they arent built for those condition.
Regards Jeff.
@@KevinSorbo. Its sad to see these incident. but I am quite sure that some kind of cheap element type of heating like electric blanket wiring, its just some wires that act like resistors that heat up when current is passed through and they only have to heat just above freezing to stop ice. I would certainly throw in another 50-100k on a 3 million dollar vessel to install such things.
@@JoeOvercoat Oh I understand the power of water and temperatures I get it. Look cable in the railings wouldnt even be bothered with a sledge hammer. Yes it would take a lot of power but those deisel engines.. Are you kidding do you know how much power they put out, do you think they are your little pissy V8 crap engines? A nice generator connected to those things and you could light up half of New York.
@@jaycal1920 ANY type of wiring on any boat in salt water will corrode VERY quickly. Not to mention any type of wiring will cause fire hazards and more power consumption than a boat may be able to afford.(it already takes a ton of power to run the crab circulating pumps and chillers) Larger boats have anti icing capabilities and even then they aren't perfect.
I lived in the Aleutians (Sand Point) as a kid, and it is hard to overstate how completely brutal and unreal the wind is around there. 50mph is pretty normal, over 100mph for a bad day, and they've been recorded up to 159mph (which is a Cat 5 hurricane, for reference). There were lots of days we didn't go to school or go outside because anyone who wasn't a sturdy adult would just get blown tf off the island (not hard, I think it's 8 square miles or something). I got pretty serious frostbite and hypothermia once on a not very cold day because my father forgot to come pick me up from school, and my 6 year old self thought "I can just walk home." It was all of 600 yards away, and I was well bundled up, but that wind drops the wind chill factor low, fast.
LOL at "anyone who wasn't a sturdy adult would just get blown tf off the island." :D I'm from Florida, where hurricanes were an annual part of my childhood, so I absolutely get it. But thanks for sharing this perspective; I bet those who have zero familiarity with such conditions can't even begin to imagine!
@@JonniD LOL people have lost their lives in these conditions hahaha :D so funny
Art was from sand pt/slaw harbor
@@JonniD I love the concept of someone saying "yeah, I'm from Florida so I totally get freezing to death on your way home from school"
@@HavelTheCock "LOL at "anyone who wasn't a sturdy adult would just get blown tf off the island." :D I'm from Florida, where hurricanes were an annual part of my childhood, so I absolutely get it."
He literally mentions that wind and how strong it is in Florida which is where he's from and you got that he was talking about the cold? there is no way anyone could honestly mix that up, you would have to be going out of your way to misunderstand that.
When this happened, a lot of ships captains went and got their ships’ balanced. I watch Deadliest Catch and when the sinking happened, it made some of the captain’s question why did as sturdy as the Rose sank. One of them found out that he should carry less pots. What a wake up call.
It's a frightening wake-up call to anyone to suddenly realize what you thought you KNEW was safe would have, eventually, come to kill you. Props to the people who learn from tragedy and make the necessary changes. What's ten or twenty pots (X#of strings laid) worth compared to your, your crew's, and your boat's safety?
I thought people learned when the F/V Destination went down. Guess not everyone heeded the warnings.
@@tidan4575 I admit that I am way behind and missed the details of the Destination's sinking. Did they establish it was overloaded and icing?
edit: Yes, it certainly looks like it was the case. Sad. Clear that ice, boys, and make a safety set of pots if you have to!
@@chrismaverick9828 Yeah I've read a lot of research into the F/V Destination. The same exact root cause that sunk the Scandies Rose, sunk this vessel: incorrect stability instructions.
Extreme weather, fatigue, and a defective life raft also contributed to the sinking and loss of all souls on board. The Coast Guard required all vessels to carry two life rafts aboard at all times since.
The Zodiac boats that broke the Open Season and made it Limited Entry in a single season, carried 300 pots. They passed all their stability tests, then sank.
I wish more documentaries like this would be more mainstream. People need to learn the sacrifice that was made to provide there food that is otherwise viewed as a convinced. I work for a major grocery provider and it always pains me for the lack of respect customers have for the food on the shelves that people risk there lives to provide. Thank you for the time you spent on making this video.
I knew Gary Cobban Jr well and he did everything to save his crew. He did his safety drills and the crew spoke of Gary as a number one Capt. He was a careful Captain and very well loved and talked about very highly in the fishing fleet. The Video you showed was very interesting and very well done. Thank you for doing this. God Bless all the crew on the vessel and all their families A big thank you to the U.S. Coast for all you do for the Fishing Fleet, you guys go above and beyond the call of duty.
It was an impossible situation. So sudden.
Its sounds like he was one of the best captains out there. As experienced as you can get.
Thank you for making an honest detailing of the findings from the Coast Guard and NTSB Marine Investigation. Just a slight correction, My Brother's name is David Leigh Cobban, not David Lee Cobban. Also you are one of the first people I have heard actually say our last name correctly, so thank you for that as well.
My deepest condolences to you and your family Barbara. My apologies and thanks for the correction. Unfortunately RUclips doesn't allow those type of edits to videos but I will go ahead and state the correction to his name in description and in my pinned comment.
@@BrickImmortar Thank you very much for the correction. I should say, thank you very much for the swift correction.
I’m sorry for your loss Barbara.
@@MovieMakingMan Thank you.
@@EFFEZE Thank you.
I went to a maritime college for a couple years. We trained on how to put on the immersion/survival suits (Gumby suits). We practiced putting them on in a controlled environment next to a pool. In these controlled and perfect conditions; it was still incredibly difficult to put on and even more difficult to maneuver from the platform to the pool. I can only imagine the difficulty of putting one on in the middle of chaos while panic sets in. I can only hope a better design has come out since.
New design have been made, I tried one a month ago, there slightly easier to get in but we’re still far from optimal and most boat still use the old ones…
@@mryftne6316 Yeah, and sadly, some boat owners likely won't want to spend the money on newer ones until the Coast Guard forces them to replace the old ones. I understand to an extent though as profit margins can be very tight in the fishing industry and buying suits you may never need seems like a cost you can postpone until you absolutely have to.
One of the trucks, besides doing maintenance on the suits, is having plastic bags in them. You stick your feet in the bag and they slide in my faster and easier.
Not something you can normally do during a sinking, you have to be prepared in advance.
Thank you for doing such a good a few little details off but very respectfully done! I worked for this company for 20 years, Gary was my partner boat since I became a captain 20 years ago, my little brothe dean, he and john had just fished king crab with me 6 weeks prior this couldn’t hit any closer and thank you for showing so much respect in this video
Also John tragically passed on Halloween in a motorcycle accident…
Oh no. 😢 Rest in peace, John.
Wow. Man, life is hard.
I last rode my 🏍️ on Halloween before I put it away for the winter 😪 the next ride will be for John, Brother of the Sea. 💪🌊
Captain of the Scandies Rose did what many other captains shamefully failed to do. Put his crew first and ultimately went down with the ship making sure they had every opurtunity to make it. His family and friends should be proud.
I cannot imagine what Dean and John went through mentally as all of this was occurring. Their resolve to survive is incredible and heroic. Bless all who contributed in their survival. ❤️
Thank you it hasn't been easy I just wanted my body found so my family knew I gave it my all I didnt expect to live.
Thank u
Dean
@@BeringSeaCrabFishing ---- sometimes life gets down to living second by terrifying second! Do you think you both helped the other to survive? Helped the other to think things through, there by increasing your own chances of surviving this ordeal!
If it isn't too personal, what did you talk about while waiting all of those hours for rescue? I would have sat there in silence, dumb struck by it all. So I'm really curious what people talk about at times like that. Or if they talk at all!
I'm very, very glad you both made it! What a compelling story! It would be such a tremendous honor just to shake your hand!
Do you think you will ever work on a fishing boat again? Or your friend, will he?
All of the very best to you both, now, and in the future, always!
Paul in Chicago
And if you are ever in Chicago, the drinks are on me!
Dinner, drinks, whatever, it's on me!!! Both of you! What an honor it would be to meet you both!!!
What’s particularly sad is that Jon survived this horrible experience but died in a motorcycle crash in 2021.
Many of the stories Brick Immortar highlight the incompetence, laziness or greed of people or organisations that either cause or stop the affected victims from dealing with the situation. Here we have a well constructed and maintained vessel, a Captain that made sure his crew where as well trained as they could be. They did nothing "wrong" as per industry standards, yet circumstances made sure it wasn't enough, the Coastguard where simply Heroic. I have no other word for them, they took things right to the edge to try and save others.
Such a tragedy, everyone did everything "right", no greed, carelessness or incompetence and still they got caught out.
That’s life. Sometimes it just… ends. No rhyme or reason just bad luck.
It makes you wonder, which stories are more tragic: the ones where greed and incompetence are to blame; or ones where, despite everything and everyone being above board, things still fail.
@@Anon_Omis neither. That’s my belief. Dying in bed at 80, getting shot in a war, being killed in a warehouse fire due to greedy owners, it’s all the same outcome. People die, some live. The family grieves and the world moves on. And we make things like these videos to try and learn or make sense of it.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness, that is life.”
@@bellairefondren7389 I'm still going to stay sulking in my tent.
I’m an ex-USCG boatswains mate and this vid is the well most documented docu of a marine causality I’ve ever seen. BZ sir!
Edmund Fitzgerald is special too
As a Naval Architect, this is my worst nightmare. I can’t imagine the hell the engineer who did these calculation went through afterwards.
There are so many times when assumptions have to be made for stability calcs. I hope this report is read by every NavArch who ever does stability calcs for crab bots.
Thanks for the comment. It is easy to blame the naval architect, if no-one else. But as you say, they also just tried to do their job, even if they may have demonstrably failed to do it right. All we can do is try not to repeat the same mistake. If getting nightmares helps you to avoid that then that's a small price to pay.
Trying to find a person to blame for a tragedy almost never gets to the true cause. It's never "human error". There are always some underlying systemic problems. That's why accidents like this one can be such important lessons, if analyzed correctly.
@@renerpho Exactly. We're still learning not to post blame on ourselves or each other for when bad things happen.
As a side religious note, that's what I believe Jesus died for. He of all people wants us to stop blaming ourselves and each other for our sins and learn to love ourselves and each other despite our flaws. That what He does for us and paid the price unconditionally. He has our back no matter what. He's not going to just give up on His creation...on His children that easily.
@@tidan4575 such an eloquent analogy. Thank you.
@@tidan4575 Really like your side note. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself... And the older I get, the more I learn to love the Serenity Prayer.
There should be some kind of roll-righting motion that sets off alarm bells. The moment it is felt, that boat should head for calm waters or hove to or call for mayday right then. You can't soldier on in those conditions, with ice still building up.
There's nothing more heartbreaking to know, than the fact that the captain stayed on station, desperately making calls to the coast guard and all on open channels, halfway inside his immersion suit , possibly holding his son and both of them terrified but committed to saving whoever they possibly could, going down like the Titanic's Marconi telegraph operator, kicking and screaming to save as many lives they possibly could while mother nature dragged her claws deep inside and ripped their lives out from under them.
Amazing video, thank you.
I was a US Navy sailor of over 18 years. Dying when your ship goes down is the loneliest and hardest way to die. You know your loved ones will never see you again nor will they ever get to say goodby.
God Bless the Navy for exactly what you say here, brave one.
I was on a Navy ship the Barbour County and I will never forget the water hitting the ship during a rain storm. And that's terrifying .
@@ronaldgreen8423 On the Saginaw '77-'79. PC3, I ran the ship's Post Office. According to the Lt. who had the con that night, during ops in the Med off the coast of Sardinia, we came within 5 degrees of capsizing. All weather decks were secured and all hands ordered to their racks. I believe were carrying 400+ Marines and thousands of tons of their gear.
I will never forget the ship wide shudder when the ship plowed head-on into heavy seas.
Kinda reminds me when el faro when down in the carribean taking 33 lives in a horrible death. They didnt a change. The capt s ego killed them all..
@@RM-pg4js Big difference is the El faro was a slow ride to their graves with plenty of chances for a different outcome. They were tortured by the captain as they knew they'd likely die.
The SR was a fast onset and rapidly deteriorating situation where it's hard to make the best call when you can't get enough information fast enough. The men found out at the last moment they were goners and hopefully did not suffer for long with their fate
RIP to both crews
I can't thank you enough for including land measurements alongside nautical ones. These other channels just assume we're all grizzled old sea dogs who know exactly how fast a knot is
Oh god... yes.. totally agree. 👍👍
I feel this so much. Growing up with imperial, I still have a hard time "thinking" in metric. Sure, I can use it on paper just fine, but my frame of reference is imperial. Metric is just a completely different language to me in that regard; in a similar manner, having terrestrial measurements alongside nautical ones is such a godsend when trying to communicate perspective through videos like these. Nice touch, Brick!
@@Dockhead oh 100%. No bs conversions, just base 10, metric is a joy on paper. I just haven't internalized metric for real-life interactions. If you asked me to walk 10 meters, my estimate would be off by a country mile. I've got Celsius down pretty well so far, just have the rest of it to figure out
@@majestc Having grown up with metric, but working with people who use imperial, I completely understand. Imperial can be fun to use (please everyone forgive the blasphemy!), but I still have to convert back to metric every single time. It reminds me of my parents converting everything to the old currency when we switched to Euros.
Your username suggests otherwise
I am an independent electronics tech who did a lot of work on Scandies Rose, and Amatulli for that matter and I considered Gary to be a friend. When I heard that she sank I was devastated. I corresponded with the Coast Guard investigators several times as they know that I had worked on her. It turns out that repairs on her single side band radios not long before this trip which were both not working at all were the only reason they were able to summon any help to the rescue. I had recommended that I wire GPS into their DSC VHF radio but the owners didn't want to spend the money at that time. I wish they were all rescued, but at least two were rescued. When it comes to safety at sea, expense should be the least of your concerns IMHO. If the DSC was wired with GPS, Gary could have pushed a button and the vessel near them could have responded and potentially saved them all.
Damn man. I hope you're doing alright without that friend in your life.
Sea's a harsh lady. Glad I have a house back on land to sleep in.
DAMN really now, yeah this is why being the owner of the company should be about safety for the crew,
@@im_flat I'm okay and thanks for your concern. I'm just sad that I couldn't have done more for their safety. I'm always worried about the safety of the crew of any boat I work on.
@@jazzmanny02 unfortunately this is a hard thin line to walk. Safety costs a ton of money and when profit margins are razor thin it suddenly becomes a matter of eating or not eating. At the time they had the required safety gear and communications needed. It wasn't the latest and greatest but it was supposed to have done its job. That's the catch that small owner operators face, you can spend all the money in the world as long as it isn't your own. But as an independent owner you're suddenly having to make gut wrenching decisions. You don't a big company backing you if you have a shitty season and spend an ungodly amount of money on Safety gear.
I wish Safety equipment was cheaper, but like everything else, there's a huge cost upfront until the manufacturer and r&d teams can recoup their investments and mass produce it to lower the price.
The good news is that this brought about some very wide spreading changes and proved that there were mistakes made based on faulty information that the crew had no control over and it brought to light more awareness of the deadly impact the sudden and rapid increase in ice has. It also forced the government to get something off the ground faster that could (and should have) helped to keep this from happening.
All in all, it wasn't a failure of Safety equipment so much as a series of small errors and oversights that contributed to this accident. Just like in the aviation world, the best thing to do is learn, adapt and overcome. That's the best legacy we can give the crew, which is make sure that a similar thing doesn't happen because the tools and knowledge wasn't there. Granted I'm sure there are going to be other wrecks that will have the same issues but they would hopefully be because of the failure of the crew and not for a lack of resources and knowledge.
Sorry to say it. But it wouldn't have saved them all. 2 Survival suits with bodies didn't make it out of the Wheelhouse. Were the other 3 missing Crew are is unclear. What may have saved the other 3: if they had survival Suits on, would be the Personal Locator Beacons.
The wiring of the GPS into the DSC may have given Gary the Time to get in his own equipment faster, as he didn't had to give the lengthy Mayday, but i guess he would have done it in anyway, as the Ship was frozen over and what was working was speculative. Gary gave his life to transmit the coordinates, and he would done it again, not knowing wether the DSC was scrambeld or not. Speech has an advantage that the human brain can fill in garbled Transmissions.
What saved the two Survivors was: They abandonded Ship in Survival Suits while the others were struggeling or panicking and the Survival Gear, even damaged, worked with several Failovers. What prolonged their misery was the failed locator Beacon, having Personal ones and one at the Life Raft would improve that.
They may have nightmares about whom they may have saved or not. But it was the only correct decission, to leave the confined space, after one was not responding, and the others hampered by the keeling over ship, they gave them more room.
Truly heartbreaking how at the start of the video you can hear the full mayday call and you can hear the son yelling "Dad!!!!" ....... sobering stuff. Very respectful and well presented video my friend.
Tough to listen to.
Gosh..I recall a Deadliest Catch episode where a boat and crew were lost. Too much for words. Thanks for
this report and tribute. My sympathy and respect to all in this
profession.
There was a couple I think but the Katmai was the one they interviewed a couple survivors I think in season 5
Time and again, these rescue groups show how lucky we are to have them among us. Willing to put their own lives at risk to find others who are very much in need of help. They deserve and have earned our collective gratitude and thanks beyond measure. May those who's lives were lost that day, rest in peace.
I think the Captain's insistence on safety drills made the survival of at least two crew men possible. They knew the priority was to put on the survival suits and helped each other.
I agree. Some things just are not survivable. One would reasonably expect this sinking to be a non-survivable accident. The fact that two men survived regardless is a result of their preparation.
Sounds like most of the crew, the captain included, were in utter disbelief this was happening to them. And the shock led to a state of confusion that proved deadly. Even when making the mayday call the captain sounded flabbergasted.
Dean and John immediately realized the severity of the situation and survived because of it. It's the classic you never know how you're going to react when shit hits the fan.
Just because one trains on safety procedure doesn't always mean everyone understands or takes it seriously. Complacency can set in, especially with experience. The "days without accident" chart is scary at both ends...
I was an Oiler/Stoker on a Canadian Government owned research vessel for 5 years and in that time I never had any training about safety and not that it matters because I probably would have figured out how to put on my Survival Suit but they never trained me about that
Absolutely true statement. So instead of being responsible for other people's deaths, which is untrue. In actuality is responsible for documented drilling, that gave 2 of his crew the knowledge to stay alive
@@renerpho n it
The US Coast Guard: the forgotten military branch and the butt of many jokes, that will still rescue you in conditions the other branches would consider unsafe.
in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, the USCG are heroes to all who fish, fly, live, and work here.
The only service that is dedicated to their informal motto, "You have to go out for them, You don't have to come back". Like the fire service rescuing others is paramount and a Godly duty. Kudos to all!
As a retired Army Soldier, I have nothing but respect for Coasties. Nice to know when I'm out off shore fishing in Florida they have my back.
I was completely engrossed in this production. Well done!
Me too
Me too.
Me 2. I just moved here to Kodiak last year from Sitka, and though I'd heard of the disaster we all pay more attention to the ones in our own area. This was a terrific production and has helped me settle in a little more in my new home. Thanks for this!
Are there any more compellingly horrifying tales of the human conditions than the ones we tell of maritime disaster, ones where we will truly never know what really happened before the sea swolled these massive vessels and all the poor souls that went with it. Such great content. Thanks for the hard work.
It's hard to get me to watch anything this long but wow. This was so well made.
it's nice seeing a story where the crew did everything right and the fault ultimately came down to factors that nobody predicted would work in tandem, with the accident leading to prompt and significant changes that help improve the safety of the rest of the industry going forward.
I don't know anyone that passed, but I am a fan of Deadliest Catch. This was heartbreaking to see on tv and can't even imagine how awful it is for those who knew these men. RIP.
I've been watching it for years and everytime I hear a mayday mayday mayday or a Pon Pon Pon my heart sinks. It feels like your losing one of your own it sucks. Seeing sigs reaction was rough
I am also a fan of deadliest Catch I cried my heart out!😢
I'll echo the comments of others on how well thought out this is. One thing that struck me was at 25:08 when you say that both made a "quick physical recovery". The inclusion of the word "physical" acknowledges that emotional and mental recovery takes much longer, if it happens at all. This shows an attention to the writing of the script that lesser presenters can lack.
That struck me too. Subtle way of saying that this kind of experience will leave invisible scars.
@@dogcarman It is a very important addition. According to his family, survivor John Lawler struggled with the trauma until his own death last November.
@@renerpho Lord have mercy how sad!
I very much appreciate your thoughtful comment. Dean suffers with this every single day and has nightmares just about every night of what he heard and saw. His life will never be the same. It was truly a miracle he survived.
Thank you ❤ having to deal with the aftermath is almost worse. I relive it everyday it consumes my thoughts.
I never In a million yrs thought this is how it would be im disgusted and destroyed and just hurt by the way we've been treated I believe Jon would still be here if it was different..😞 but thank u for your kind words.
Thanks for this. Seth was an acquaintance of mine - we'd camped with the same group at Burning Man for a couple of years. I was shocked to hear of his loss, and this is the first explanation I've seen of what happened. Oddly enough the last night I'd have been around Seth was the night I found out I'd lost a friend in the fire and sinking of the Conception. 2019 was not a good year for my seafaring friends.
May the memories of your friends bless you and all who loved them.
People wonder why the cost of crab is so high at their grocery stores. This is exactly what the cost is and it’s a hell of a way to make a living. My hart goes out to the men and their family’s. Your a brave group of people that understand the risks and get the job done. Stay strong!
Tough group of dudes who do that. Man I grew up around old school 1930s-1980 loggers and minners I thought those guys where hard ass's. Sat with a gentleman at a bar in Denver Colorado while waiting on a plane this Easter, that man had some crazy stories. His boat docs in dutch harbor, he had some pictures and videos to back it up, and in every video he sowed me it sounded like they had been having the times of there lifes ridding out those narly swells. Iv been in the ocean off the oregon coast plenty of times but the rough sea's he showed me in said videos would make me never go out that far lol.
Sadly - the fishers get only a small portion of the grocery store price ! !
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE SEA FOOD DON'T THINK ABOUT HOW THE FOOD GET TO THEM.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.
IT'S NOT LIKE GOING TO YOUR FAVORITE LAKE & GETTING THE SEA FOOD.
GIVE REMEMBERANCE TO ALL WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES (IN THE PAST & NOW) TO GET THE GOODS TO THE PUBLIC.
THE SON NOT LEAVING HIS FATHER SIDE JUST BROKE MY HEART ( HE LOVED HIS DAD & HIS DAD LOVED HIM.)
THAT WAS VERY TOUCHING IN A VERY SAD MOMENT.
THIS TRAGIC STORY WAS WELL PREPARED & UNDERSTOOD BY THIS NOVICE (ME).
MY PRAYERS GOES OUT TO ALL THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES.
AND TO ALL THE RESUCERS.
ESPECIALLY THE COAST GUARDS WHO RESCUED THE TWO SURVING PEOPLE FROM THE DOWNED SHIP.
I wish people who work on these boats get paid to describe why crab is so expensive in your grocery store. I lived in Alaska for 5 years and heard story's about crew members on these boats getting cheated for their work.
This crew overloaded and didnt follow de-icing procedures. Their boat wasnt balanced well either. This is 1 in a million. However, it is very dangerous in other ways i agree.
I really don't know how you guys do it but THANK YOU, because I would think your hard work gives the families and friends of all those poor souls, in all your videos, a larger voice and presence for both remembrance and justice.
Y'all are so missed. I knew Brock. I truly believe he too wouldn't leave Gary, David & Art behind.. I wish this had all gone differently.. Never happening.. It was NO FAULT of Gary! He was 1 of the best!! It was a true tragedy.. Forever missed Brock, David, Art, Seth & Captain Gary 🖤
'Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea''
Love ya Brock Xo
What a great presentation. The host narrates with rare eloquence. "People aren't perfect. No human or group of humans is. There is no pure good or evil, no bright line for right or wrong. We're all caught in the churn, trying to co-exist somewhere in the middle." That's just one example of his skill. I've seen a few videos from this channel, and I've seen enough to know that I want to see more. Thank you for producing this content. Subscribed.
"Caught in the churn" is a line from _The Expanse_ . I wonder if that's where he heard it.
@@benjurqunov Umm... I think you meant this for another channel.
@@j3dwin Could be. It's a great phrase, I hope it catches on.
There is clearly good vs evil. The Fall...with Eve then Adam.
@@Lighthousepreserve I agree. There certainly is clear-cut good and evil. If you've seen it or experienced either, then you know it's real.
Tasteful and well done. This one was especially heartbreaking because, as mentioned throughout, the captain, crew and equipment were in-regs and conducted professionally. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.
I'm currently in Alaska working on a very similar ship. I pray to God for our safe return and the return of my fellow mariners. God bless boys and Godspeed. We just made that same trip from homer to false pass and now we are sitting waiting for our clients near Dillingham. This hits home real hard. ALASKA BITES AND IT BITES HARD. we play a dangerous game boys, and not everyone makes it back alive. HOLD FAST.
This might be one of the few accidents I have heard where the crew seemed to have completely accurate decision making. That ship was essentially doomed to go down as soon as it departed. Crazy.
….. besides routinely going into deadly waters in pursuit of profit from removing animals from the ocean?…
@@fastinradfordableugh god you people need to learn when to put down your virtue signaling nonsense
@@bmkeesee who are you replying to?
@@kevinmencer3782the dude deleted his comment. Isn't it obvious?
The captain definitely saved those two lives and did the best he could given the circumstances. I’m also impressed with the boat owners keeping up with maintenance, regs and participating in the class development. Good changes came from this horrible tragic loss.
again i think the only real eeror the captain made was not deice before the weather got bad
@@Revkor The only issue with this assessment is that other experienced captains would have done differently in Gary Cobban's shoes. Gary was well within his experience as a captain to not clean the ice off the pots and the hull, and unfortunately due to miscalculations paid the ultimate price. No fault of his own, it's merely a tragedy to learn from and change for the better.
Great job with this. As a fan of “Deadliest Catch” I remember the episode when the Scandies Rose sank, and the impact it had Sig Hansen, Bill Wichrowski, and the rest of the captains and crews. Thanks for a respectful detailing of this tragedy.
Omg!
I watched this episode and never forget Sigs and boys devastation at receiving the news.
It hit Sig in the guts.
Thank you for this eloquent explanation.
God speed Scandies Rose and the men she took with her 🌹
What season and Episode was this please?
Last episode a never before seen you could see Sig talking to his wife saying he was gonna pack it in, and you could hear her saying yes, yes come home now. It dangerous, and scary, and its even scarier how quick a ship can go down. My thoughts and prayers to all the men ad women out there working to have a better life.
Great job on the video. Made me really think how precious life is.
Haunting episode 😞
@@mac1975 Season 16 Episode 8 titled "Mayday Mayday"
I went to school with David. He’s one of the people that taught me how to play Magic the Gathering from, and was an all around great guy and amazing friend. It was devastating when I got the news, and I wish I could play just one more game with him. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone.
He definitely loved his games, lol.
Hey Alistair! Haven't seen you in quite a while. I remember you coming to the house to play Magic with David.. I always enjoyed having all the boys underfoot whether you guys were playing Magic, Pokémon or having LAN parties for Halo and other Xbox games. I hope life is treating you well.
@@boogaboobarbie My condolences for your loss, both of them.
@@j3dwin thank you. This whole process has been very hard. I am really, really glad a decent and well thought out video has been made. I have watched a few others that were terrible and had very little in the way of facts.
May the memories of those games make you smile when you need it most.
Excellent coverage of this tragic event. It’s little short of a miracle that the 2 crew members survived, a testament to good operating practices, skill,endurance,and of course the heroic efforts of the coastguard crews. I have fished all my life on the west coast of Scotland, and never take the sea for granted. My condolences to all who were affected by this tragedy. Stay safe out there brothers,and sisters! 🏴
I was on the Cape Caution 9 hours ahead of the scandies rose. It was such a tragedy. My captain was devastated.
whats in that boat for power? all cat? guessing 3508s or 3512s
I crab fished in Alaska for about 3 1/2 years. I remember when the Rose got into Dutch Harbor. Had to clear ice quite a few times. Amazing how fast it can build up.
Little salt in snow blowing above wl, or a plain snowstorm; food choice ?
@Winahh Taylahh raw water cooling isn't common on these vessels
@Winahh Taylahh Hot water freeze even faster than cold...
Absolutely heartbreaking. My sympathy also extends to the 30 year career stability analyst who made errors that ultimately resulted in loss of life. I am a retired analyst that deals with budgets and I know how I felt when I have made an error with money much less a life that hangs in the balance. Just awful for this person and their family.
This is so incredibly sad. I can't imagine how hard it would be not to panic when you've been operating with full confidence that you've ticked every safety box in the book and suddenly you're sinking anyway.
What made it worse was that mostly everyone was asleep in their bunks … thus ramping up the confusion factor.
@@francisschweitzer8431 the sleeping shift were the only ones who didn't loose their shit and survived.
No mattrer how well designed your vessel, or how well-trained your crew, the sea can still throw you something you aren't prepared for.
@@astridvvv9662 well OK captain Astrid. Your decades of experience no doubt makes you an armchair expert well above the actual experts, who did not fault the captain of the vessel. BTW, your description isn't accurate. Listen again.
@@astridvvv9662 17:20 It wasn’t the captain hyperventilating and screaming they’d die, it was the crew. Just rewatch the video and you’ll find that most of your complaints appear to be directed towards the panicked crew and not the captain
So true, and tragically. We get by because most ships complete most of their voyages. But the sea has a range of tricks that happen during extraordinary circumstances. A ship could probably be built to survive them, but it would have little practical use.
@@jonshaw840, tthomas, People hear what they want to hear, obviously this person has
no seagoing experience, in foul weather the situation can change in seconds
and throw the most experienced shellback off the track. I fished the Great
Australian Bight where the seas roar up from the Antarctic, but at least we had
no ice to contend with.
@@astridvvv9662 Too easy to say, too hard to do. You know you will dead now.Not easy friend. And yes,you said too easy.
This is a prime example that even when everything is done right, things can still go wrong. Captain Gary exemplified astonishing leadership, safety, and attention to detail. Although 5 lives were lost, his ability to react in the face of adversity saved 2 lives and that is an accomplishment within itself.
I was on the rose in 88 89 and I was under Leif nordbo.. he was an excellent captain and a great fisherman.. I was working with Steve eisenegger and times were tough during the winter.. the rose was a great boat ..I'm sure captain Gary and crew did all they could to avoid the sinking.. sometimes everything just isn't enough.. RIP to all lost.. you wille always be in our thoughts.. love and the utmost respect
I had just left my job as a utility vessel captain on the Puget Sound and inside the Ballard locks when I heard the news of the Scandies Rose. I was absolutely floored to hear she had sunk. While I didn’t know the Captain and crew it was clear that she was a very well kept boat. One of the finest I would regularly see as we worked up and down the Ballard cut. I hope those brave men lay in rest, and that their families find peace until they see their loved ones again.
This was an incredibly well researched and executed documentary. As a former USCG Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner this is every captain and crews nightmare, hell this was my nightmare. I was stationed in Anchorage when this happened (but retiring out, and working pollution response at the time so I wasn't involved in this case). If anything it tells me we need to take a moment to do a huge overhaul of our fishing fleet in the US, especially pot boats. As inspectors we were always a little wary of big pot boats sailing out with their pots stacked all the way up to the bridge. To realize that all the stability plans were BS now and based on bad #'s just makes me so angry. Those people trust those numbers, we trust those #'s. The only thing I'd say that might have helped save more lives in this disaster is more training. I wish the captain had tripped the general alarm and woken people up sooner, I wish they had been able to get their suits on faster, I wish they had a working EPIRB and had all gotten out of the bridge. This is all stuff that can be helped by additional drills and training, until its a reflex. That's not to blame anyone... because people behave differently in traumatic situations... but constant drills make it almost like a muscle memory. But I also know Shelikof strait is a nightmare that time of year and the icing can be unbelievable. Thank you for making this.
i wholeheartedly agree with you on more training,one can be prepared and follow every safety rule etc but the mental training,from drills, to totally switch on when you know something serious is up is paramount.
Please Jeffery, not more regulations.
How many times have we been in the weather making ice, and something gotta happen. Gotta get out of the trough, slow down, or get the pots off the boat .
To slow down, somebody get their gear on, walk the rail, go around the stack, check out the ice, the scuppers. And then get the boat going again, if it's good.
Yeah exactly we could have saved the boat there was plenty of time where he knew we were in trouble it blows my mind he never woke up anyone.
@@BeringSeaCrabFishing Finally a couple guys in the comments who have a clue. Not realizing that wind was affecting the list? That blows my mind. I mean what direction do you normally list when it's blowing like that, and you aren't icing up? Never even made an ATTEMPT at getting at least SOME of the pots overboard? The boat went down in 26 fathoms of water, they could have got them back easy enough, buoys or not. And, like you said he didn't even wake up the guys. He didn't wake up ANYONE!?
FFS, Did he even know he was in trouble?
Lastly guys, if you are convinced the boat is going down, just jerk the epirb manually if you can. Don't trust everyone’s life on a hydrostatic release.
I would normally not watch a video like this but I was mesmerised from start to finish. Such a sad story and sadly lives have to be lost on many occasions to make safety better. Thank you for an outstanding, informative, educational and detailed production.
My deepest condolences to the families xx
The sheer bravery of all fishermen and boat captains and crew blows my mind. They know how dangerous their job is and do it anyway. It's wonderful to hear you give the victims tribute
The scariest moments in my life, which actually did seem like hours, was almost going down in a horrible storm on Lake Huron in an old wooden boat. I know it's not the high seas but those lakes can get brutal and we were both sure we were going down, it was frantic to say the least. I'm just saying I have a slight idea of what those poor fellows went through and it is the most hopeless, bottomless feeling a soul can have. My condolences to their family and friends. Special kind of brave people who make their living out there.
Go way offshore out of Maryland. Worst day ever was on Chesapeake Bay.
There is no doubt whatsoever that ocean-like brutal conditions can happen on the Great Lakes and that they kill. Huron and especially Superior are very cold, as well.
there are many cases to show that the Great lakes are equally as deadly as the ocean when it comes to storms
@@TheDiloEmpire I've heard that the waves can be worse, because freshwater is lighter than saltwater.
I ran right into a rain hidden waterspout in the Pamlico Sound back in 2008, in a little 17ft crabbing boat. Still the most scared I've ever been in my life, was about to blow the entire boat over but I turned with the wind and it shot me right out!
It's pertinent that you took the time to address an all-too-common attitude some listeners fall into, that of judging based on what information is addressed in any video. I confess I get lazy as well - but I feel sorrow for the families of the fishing vessel. You did good research; the ocean can and has overcome the best laid plans of humans before, and no doubt will again.
As said on Patreon, that was extremly well done. The animations, the detailed information, the whole presentation, honestly, your productions values keep getting better and better.
Thanks so much for that Jade as always!
Yeah, it's refreshing to see this kind of production on youtube. Most other channels nowadays just read from a script and use stock images and videos they found on the internet.
My brother runs a commercial crab boat. When nature decides your time is up, it’s up. He has told me, and his captain, of some of the conditions that they’ve been in where no man or force on earth could save them if things went wrong. It is an industry fraught with danger and dealing with unpredictable nature. Bless the crew who lost their lives
I've been an avid watcher for well over a year. These are so well written and narrated. I appreciate each and every episode. The presentation of facts, and emphasis on Safety promoted such a good message. Great Job.
What a hard, dangerous way to make a living. Thank you for a clear and compassionate video explaining the loss.
A friend of a friend of mine was on this boat. Thank you for the thorough and respectful presentation.
@@EFFEZE what would i possibly have to gain by lying about that, you weirdo?
I really appreciate the way you edit your presentations. Calm and precise without the sensationalism that is so common in our time. I also appreciate your thorough research, since most people don’t have or don’t know how to find access to the necessary information and documents.
I have been a fishing vessel skipper for over 40 years. There is one thing I have learnt never underestimate the weather. So often the forecast is nothing like the conditions. Also things always seem to wait to break during the worst possible times. All of us old fishermen have mates lost at sea. terrible for the families of them. Thanks for the great story Brick.
Your videos are reliably well-researched, but I was especially impressed by how sensitive and thoughtful you were here. This was just a sad case of imperfect knowledge from experts and regulators about extremely dynamic and complicated scenarios. There is no blame to be found in an experienced captain and crew relying on highly-respected experts. I appreciate you noting that this tragedy- especially given the competence and expertise of the captain and crew- directly led to changes that have undoubtedly saved lives. Thanks!
I worked w/ Gary in Bristol Bay, Naknek, for 13 years. He was an awesome skipper and one the nicest guys you could hope to meet. He always had a kind word and made a point to say hello. He always reminded me to grab a snack or coffee from the galley when I was gathering his fish-tickets and helping out w/ the he dock-crew on deck. Such a tragedy. RIP.
I love that you talked about all the things that changed in the industry after the disaster. Imo that takes it from gawking at a tragedy to a respectful historical/ informational video. Very well done
As a mariner I respect the elements and how fast things can change, for any number of reasons
I also very much respect this thorough production without any over dramatization
RIP to the crew who didn't make it
And blessed are the ones who survived
RIP all that loss their lives in that tragedy and a big thank you for those that risk their lives to save those at risk!
stories like this are why i could never set foot on a vessel in those waters.
RIP to all the brave men and women who lost their lives trying to provide for their loved ones.
I work in Alaska every summer and I miss seeing the Scandies Rose tendering for Salmon season. What’s even more sad is we pass over the wreckage sight every time we head to the bay.
After my first year in the Navy, I developed a whole new respect for fishermen. You learn real fast about being in the middle of nowhere with no help coming anytime soon.
Very well presented. I ran coastal/ocean going tugs towing cargo barges for many years in Alaska. The crossing from from Shelikof to Kupreanof in the winter can indeed be a bear. Spent my share of time “jogging” (running short back and forth courses) in protected waters waiting for a weather window to make that crossing. Willawas will definitely rearrange your things. I’ve seen them knock over or stove in stacks of chained 20 and 40 foot cargo containers, strip antennas, break windows, blow the covers of radars, heel the boat over a few degrees and once when jogging in Castle Bay southwest of Sutwik Island one took my anemometer from atop the wheelhouse as neatly as if someone cut the wires and walked off with it.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
wow! sounds harrowing...glad you survived!
Wow, that's incredible.
Did you enter an observation in the log along the lines of, "Winds unknown, as anemometer mounting sheared off by gusts; mounting was rated at 150 knots."?
Good one. LOL. No, to be honest really only used the anemometer to confirm what the Beaufort wind scale was telling me visually. Did have a good conversation with National Weather Service Kodiak about it. I will say this: my operational parameters were vastly different than fishing vessels. Tugs and barges don’t make the same speeds an unencumbered crabber can, and the same crossing they could make safely at speed we could not when it was icing and would wait for the weather to improve. Icing is always a concern when it comes to stability. You can make all the best decisions, and still get caught out because the weather you expected was not the weather you got. Then you lay up and spend time breaking ice off your superstructure and shoveling it overboard. You trust your Stability Letter is correct. In a fair world they would have made safely it to the Shumigan’s, cleared the ice off and continued on. It truly is sad the loss of life from the Scandies Rose sinking.
My grandfather was a Rotterrdam shipwright who used to accompany the tugs into the north sea/arctic omn their proving runs - pretty sure the only thing i can appreciate about how dangerous what you and he did is that i will never full understand how dangerous it is out there.
Thank you so much for your video on this. I was worried when I started watching, that you'd find fault with Captain Cobban. While I never met him or his son, I've known his daughter and her husband for many years, and they are good people.
That initial distress call recording is terrifying. You can hear the fear in the room.
Thank you for doing such a thorough job with this story. Your story honors the men lost at sea, the men who survived, and it will save lives in the future. Well done.
That distress call was terrible to hear.
I’m local to this tragedy and it was the first time I’ve heard it. RIP
From one local to another- my thoughts exactly. Very hard to hear.
The fact that a mayday call was made AT ALL is a testament to the readiness of the crew and training level of the crew. The EPIRB failed, so without the "old fashioned" HF SSB voice radio mayday call, I agree that the two survivors would have probably never been found and the fate of the ship probably never known. Even with satcom systems, an EPIRB (which is a satellite based distress/position transmitting system). The captain saved those sailor's lives with that radio call, even though he had to have known that the time spent making it were valuable seconds, seconds he could have been spending donning his survival suit and exiting the bridge. In his mind he must have known his vessel was equipped with an EPIRB and given the well-maintained nature of the vessel in general, he probably fully expected the EPIRB to function normally.
So you can do things by the book, maintain your vessel, and keep your crew trained and ready for emergencies and still have loss of life because of a rapid loss of stability. Because "the book" itself was incorrect.
Excellent presentation, especially your point about research. Thank you.
A personal locator beacon only costs about $300. A very worthwhile purchase if you're a bluewater sailor or just like to hike in rugged areas.
Apparently the USCG is continuing shore based voice radio watches on 4125 kHz USB (which is the distress/safety/calling frequency that the Scandies Rose mayday call was made on) specifically because of this incident.
USCG discontinued voice radio monitoring of 2182 kHz USB but continues monitoring 4125 kHz USB and the 6 MHz / 8 MHz / 12 MHz HF SSB voice emergency frequencies, as well as the DSC MF/HF frequencies and of course VHF CH 16 (voice) and VHF CH 70 (DSC).
Note that SOLAS regulations and U.S. regulations require that all ships maintain listening watches on 2182 kHz USB and VHF channel 16 (*and* VHF channel 13 if the ship is above a certain size).
Most oceangoing vessels have a dedicated receiver for DSC, a dedicated VHF AIS transceiver and a SSB radio with DSC capability that reverts to either the 2182 kHz or 4125 kHz distress/calling frequencies when you switch it on, and include the “distress button” that automatically transmits a distress message, including GPS location via digital protocol (DSC) via HF radio and SATCOM (if equipped) as required as part of the GMDSS.
However, voice radio calls are still used for various reasons. Using both the modern DSC function as part of the GMDSS and making a voice mayday call on 4125 / 2182 (depending on proximity to land and other vessels) *and* VHF channel 16 in the recommended approach.
Radio range over salt water is *significantly* better than over *any other surface*.
Sadly, Jon Lawler lost his life in a motorcycle accident, roughly 22 months after surviving the sinking of the Scandies Rose.
us fishermen love our bikes, fuckn dam,shit I'm actually sheding a tear
Damn!
@@geoffedmonds6507 what are you Mr speller of the year are ya
@@chippytwo7920 Sorry, it was the response to the fact that Mr Lawler had still lost his life after having to watch his ship and crewmates die, float around in the icy sea only to get rescued and die anyway. I just now noticed how you spelled it and I never ever correct peoples spellings its a sign of pompous assery!
Sorry it just decided to put my shocked reply directly under yours which is stupid since I was the 5th person to reply and not the second. Sorry for the confusion
@@chippytwo7920 he wasn’t responding to you I think he was exclaiming about him dying so tragically soon afterwards but I get it, people on RUclips do like to try and act high and mighty. I hope he rests in peace.
As a 30 year resident of Sitka I am familiar with these vessels and what the crew does but have not been to sea on one. Very well produced documentary. RIP. ☮
Thank you so much for the presentation. I worked in a hotel where the crab boats and the regular fishing vessels would come in and stay overnight and get ready for they're fishing excursions I should say. So I knew the captain and the crew of this ship. I know it hit everyone of us very hard because they were very nice people they did everything to code. He was very OCD about his ship. I know a lot of crab boat people. I know all the people on The Deadliest Catch. I cannot watch that show they have written books about their experiences. To lose a boat it's very devastating to the community cuz everybody knows each other. And when they stay at the hotel you get to know them. Again thank you so much for breaking down this tragedy May our friends rest in peace. And thank you again for breaking this down
Until one has lived through situations like this you can have no real understanding of how fast mall things can escalate into impossible events to control.
From the very first second, that mayday call was chilling.
Excellent production on this one, while remaining respectful as always. I love that more and more RUclips channels are taking of this genre/niche and also this style, instead of super energetic and disrespectful clickbait when covering such disasters. Thank you for being one of them!
Excellent recounting of this tragedy, natures ferocity should never be underestimate, it is always wise to take extra precautions, preparing for the worst, no doubt icing and wind direction played a significant part in this sinking, thank you for a very professional accounting of this event…
Usually the ship owners are the villains here, ignoring safety issues and not paying for improvements. However, this time the ship owner was not only not at fault but did everything in his power to prevent this accident from happening, and to prevent other ones happening in the future. I'm genuinely surprised and I think they deserve commendation.