This episode of the Crux True Survival Story Podcast, hosted by medical professionals Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen dives into the harrowing account of the fishing vessel La Conte, which sank in the Gulf of Alaska on January 30th, 1998. The vessel, carrying five experienced fishermen, met ...
This episode of the Crux True Survival Story Podcast, hosted by medical professionals Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen dives into the harrowing account of the fishing vessel La Conte, which sank in the Gulf of Alaska on January 30th, 1998. The vessel, carrying five experienced fishermen, met its fate in one of the worst storms in Alaska's history. The lack of a life raft, combined with extreme weather conditions and the vessel's age, led to a catastrophic series of events. The crew's ordeal of surviving in 38-degree water in survival suits under hurricane-force winds is recounted in gripping detail. The podcast highlights the extraordinary efforts of three Coast Guard helicopter crews who braved impossible conditions to rescue three of the five men, making it one of the most challenging maritime rescues ever attempted. This story serves as a stark reminder of the ocean's unforgiving nature and the critical importance of proper safety equipment.
Timestamps-
00:31 Welcome to the Crux True Survival Story Podcast
00:55 Setting the Scene: A Nightmarish Survival Situation
02:49 The Sinking of the Fishing Vessel
04:09 The Fairweather Grounds: Dangerous Waters
05:18 The La Conte: An Aging Vessel
06:36 The Crew's Desperate Last Run
08:09 The Storm Intensifies
10:27 Abandoning Ship: Into the Freezing Waters
15:54 The Coast Guard's Harrowing Rescue Attempt
23:14 Desperate Attempts at Rescue
26:38 The Final Hope: Third Helicopter Crew
27:14 A Race Against Time and Hypothermia
29:48 The Heart-Wrenching Choices
32:57 The Aftermath and Investigation
40:31 Lessons Learned from the Tragedy
44:44 Conclusion and Reflections
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References-
- Alaska Shipwrecks Database - La Conte entry with crew information and incident details (alaskashipwreck.com)
- "Coming Back Alive" by Spike Walker - Detailed account based on survivor interviews
- "The Last Run" by Todd Lewan - Associated Press investigative report and book
- U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange records
- Daily Sitka Sentinel, February 3, 1998 - "CG to Investigate Why Boat Didn't Have Raft"
- NOAA Storm Data, January 1998 - Gulf of Alaska weather conditions
- Coast Guard Aviation History archives - Rescue mission documentation
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