Melvin J. Wick was 41 when he was last seen on February 14, 1985, serving as a crewman aboard the 83-foot fishing vessel F/V Alert. The Alert was transiting the Shelikof Strait between Uganik Bay and Alitak Bay off Kodiak Island, reportedly heading for shelter in Bumble Bay as the vessel took on ice. Four other crewmen were aboard: Shawn Heaney, Ray Basel, Paul Rowe, and Sveinn Adalsteinsson.

The Alert was reported missing and, despite search efforts in harsh Alaskan conditions, no trace of the boat or any of the men has ever been found. There were no reported debris, life rafts, or personal effects recovered, and the exact circumstances of the disappearance remain unknown. The Alaska State Troopers list the case as open.

Did anyone in the Kodiak-area fishing community have information about the F/V Alert or its movements on February 14, 1985?