John Mckerley, 39, was a fisherman aboard the 96-foot crabber Lin J out of Dillingham, Alaska. On March 18, 1999, while about eight miles northwest of St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea, the Lin J and its entire crew vanished without a distress call. The vessel’s five crew members named in reports were John Mckerley, Jason Conlon, Aaron Miller-Moylan, Marc Hill, and captain Blake Kinnear.

Accounts indicate the Lin J is believed to have capsized and sunk from heavy sea icing, when freezing spray accumulates on a vessel’s superstructure and makes it top-heavy. Severe weather in the area would have complicated any search and rescue efforts, and the crew were presumed drowned.

John was one of several fishermen who went to work that day and did not return. Does anyone have memories of the Lin J or information about that March 1999 loss that could add detail to what happened?