The Coast Guard was searching Monday for a fisherman missing in the waters off Cordova after the fishing boat he was on was found overturned and burned.
Alaska State Troopers said 52-year-old Richard Septien, of Cordova, was on the 26-foot boat, the Body Snatcher, and likely did not survive.
The Coast Guard received a call for assistance at 10:15 p.m. Sunday. But because of high winds and heavy rains, a search could not be launched until Monday morning, they said.
Coast Guard crews found the gillnetter early Monday morning south of Point Whitshed in the Copper River Flats. Authorities recovered two different kinds of survival suits from the area around the vessel, but there was no sign of Septien.
Troopers speculated the fire may have started after the boat rolled and turned over an onboard cooking stove.
"We don't know what happened," said Coast Guard Lt. Nathan Menefee in Juneau.
Weather conditions early Monday were windy and misting, with about two miles of visibility, Menefee said.
The weekly 36-hour commercial fishing opening of the Copper River silver salmon run began early Monday morning. Weather all weekend in and around Cordova produced torrential rains and winds as high as 100 mph. Parts of the city flooded and roads washed out. But while some fishermen decided to forgo the lucrative opening, others, like Septien, braved the rough seas.
"Last night was not a nice night out there," said trooper Robin Morrisett, in a phone interview Monday.
"(Septien) was just going to get on the grounds. I know money drives these guys out there. But last night was not the night to be out there."
The Coast Guard plans to continue its search today.
Daily News reporter Megan Holland can be reached at mrholland@adn.com or 257-4343. Reporter Anne Aurand also contributed to this story.
