Nevada man dies after falling overboard in Saw Mill Bay near Valdez

A 39-year-old Nevada man died after falling from a fishing vessel anchored in Saw Mill Bay, about 10 miles outside Valdez Harbor. Volunteer divers recovered his body roughly 21 hours later.

Guy Erikson went into the water at 12:10 am Sunday, according to the Alaska Wildlife Troopers dispatch. He fell from the fishing vessel Inlet Sunrise, the Coast Guard said.

The United States Coast Guard was activated and took search responsibilities at sea using vessels and a helicopter. A Station Valdez boat crew and an Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk searched alongside about ten Good Samaritan vessels. After ten hours the Coast Guard suspended its own search at 10:45 am, and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers say that search was then transferred to them at about 11:00 am.

Troopers requested the Alaska Dive Rescue Team, whose unpaid volunteers located and recovered Erikson's body in the ocean near where he had gone missing at about 9:00 pm the same day.

On-scene conditions were calm, with 5 mph winds and an air temperature of 49 degrees, the Coast Guard said.

"Our deepest condolences are with the families, colleagues and crewmembers affected by this incident," said Capt. Joel Carse, sector commander for Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic. He said the Coast Guard and its partners "are committed to a thorough investigation to fully understand what happened."

Next of kin have been notified, and the body is being transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. The trooper investigation is ongoing, alongside the Coast Guard's. Neither account states a cause or says whether Erikson was wearing a personal flotation device.