On March 22, 1990, 27-year-old Javier Martin Castro Valenzuela was among 31 people aboard the 162-foot fishing trawler Aleutian Enterprise when the vessel capsized and sank about 60 miles south of Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea. While 22 people were rescued by nearby vessels, Valenzuela and eight other crewmen were lost and never recovered.

The trawler reportedly snagged a large net while hauling, which caused a sudden severe list to port. Combined with alleged safety and maintenance issues, the vessel took on water rapidly and sank in a very short time. Investigations cited the net snag and reported safety oversights as contributing factors.

Valenzuela’s family was left without closure after the search failed to find him. Does anyone have memories of Javier or information about his time on the Aleutian Enterprise that could help fill in the picture of what happened that day?