On April 28, 1991, 33-year-old Michael Gordon Lami was aboard the 38-foot longline halibut boat Berta J when the vessel sank about 50 nautical miles south of Yakutat, Alaska. He and crewmate John Spear vanished into the water; neither wreckage nor remains were found and both were reported missing. The exact circumstances that caused the Berta J to sink are unclear, and the incident left very little evidence of what happened that day.

The Alaska State Troopers maintain the case. The last known contact for both men is recorded as April 28, 1991, and families were left without closure after no physical trace of the sinking or the crew was recovered. Does anyone have information about the Berta J, that area of waters, or the fishermen’s final trip that could help shed light on what happened?