Latroye Lamont Williams was 34 when he was working aboard the commercial fishing vessel F/V Flying Ocean on a fall day in 2012. While the crew was deploying heavy fishing pots near Cape Ikolik, southwest of Karluk, Alaska, his right ankle became entangled in a coiled line and he was pulled from the deck into the Shelikof Strait.

Crew members threw a life ring and deployed buoys to mark where he went overboard, and search and rescue efforts by the vessel’s crew and other parties followed. The Shelikof Strait’s strong winds, heavy currents, and large tides made searching difficult. Despite exhaustive searches, no trace of Latroye Williams was ever found.

The case underscores the risks commercial fishermen face and leaves family and friends without closure. If anyone was on or near the Flying Ocean that day or has information about that deployment, please share what is known.