A Petersburg-based commercial crab boat capsized in Duncan Canal on the morning of Sunday, June 16. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard reported that the two people aboard the 22-foot Mangy Otter survived the sinking, and were unharmed.
The mariners told the Coast Guard that the vessel was pulling crab pots, which they believe shifted the weight of the Mangy Otter and caused it to sink. Then, they swam an unknown distance to shore. Their neighbors picked them up later that day and escorted them home.
A camper at High Castle Island reported the sinking on VHF channel 16 at around 6 a.m. on June 16. The Coast Guard didn’t send any personnel out to rescue the mariners, as they had already made it to safety. The Coast Guard also did not attempt to recover the sunken vessel.
