Anchorage Daily News

DUTCH HARBOR -- The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are convening a formal Marine Board of Investigation into the recent sinking of the Bering Sea trawler Alaska Ranger.

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Undated photo of Eric Peter Jacobsen, captain of the Alaskan Ranger. Jacobsen is one of the victims in the sinking of the catcher-processor vessel 120 miles west of Dutch Harbor on Sunday.

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The Easter tragedy took four lives, with one crewman still missing.

The board plans to start work this morning at Dutch Harbor.

Such formal probes are relatively rare. A board of investigation also was convened for the 2001 sinking of the trawler Arctic Rose, which killed all 15 aboard. That investigation took nearly three years and involved an extraordinary operation to view the sunken boat with an underwater video camera.

The Associated Press reported that the Alaska Ranger was enrolled in a Coast Guard safety program but had not fully completed the requirements. The program was set up in 2006 for vessels in the "head and gut" fleet that were doing more than minimal fish processing, said Ken Lawrenson, fishing vessel safety coordinator for the 17th District.

Vessels have until January 2009 to complete the program.

The safety program looks at the ship's stability. In addition, the ship's machinery, electrical system, subdivisions within the vessel, openings within the hull and watertight hatches are checked, Lawrenson said.

The Alaska Ranger reportedly began taking on water after it lost control of its rudder.

Crew member Jeremy Freitag told ABC News that the boat was in such disrepair the crew called it "the Ranger Danger." He said not only were repairs not done but the ship had numerous leaks, including in the galley, bathrooms and laundry room.

The company disputes the allegations, describing them as "not based in fact."

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