Two Dead, Two Injured In Confined Space Incident Aboard Barge Near Ketchikan, Alaska

Two crew members died and two others were injured after a confined space incident on a freight barge near Ketchikan, Alaska.

The incident happened on Sunday, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of the city, and is now under investigation by the United States Coast Guard.

The deceased have been identified as Ben Fowler and Sidney Mohorovich. The two surviving crew members are reported to be in stable condition.

The Coast Guard said its command center in Juneau received a mayday call at 9:14 a.m. on Sunday.

The call reported that four crew members from the tug Chukchi Sea had lost contact while inside a confined space on the barge Waynehoe, which was moored near Skowl Arm.

A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew was sent from Coast Guard Station Ketchikan, along with members of the South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department.

Before rescue teams arrived, the tug crew managed to pull one crew member out of the space, who was later confirmed dead, and helped two others escape.

The barge was then towed to a pier in Ketchikan, so recovery work could continue safely. On Tuesday, responders recovered the second crew member’s body after the space was cleared.

The bodies have been sent to Anchorage for autopsies. Officials have not confirmed the exact cause of death.

Family members of Sidney Mohorovich said they were told methane gas may have been present in the confined space.

The Coast Guard has not confirmed this. It is also not clear how or why all four crew members entered the space.

Under federal rules, confined spaces on vessels include tanks or small compartments with limited access. These areas can quickly become dangerous due to lack of oxygen or the presence of harmful gases.

Mohorovich, 28, had recently joined Hamilton Marine Construction and was on his first job in Alaska. He had worked as a mechanic, welder, and logger, and was planning to get married in June.

His family said the crew had been preparing the vessel for bad weather and believed they were in a sheltered area.

The Coast Guard has started an investigation to find out what happened. Officials said the aim is to identify the cause and prevent similar incidents.

Captain Stanley Fields, who leads Sector Southeast Alaska, offered condolences and said confined spaces can contain hazards that are not visible.

Reference: USCG

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