Shawn Heaney was 24 when he vanished from the 83-foot fishing vessel Alert on February 14, 1985. Heaney was one of five crewmen aboard Captain Mel Wick’s boat; the others were Ray Basel, Paul Rowe, and Sveinn Adalsteinsson. The Alert was last reported in the Shelikof Strait, reportedly heading for the shelter of Bumble Bay as ice was forming.

A sudden storm that day brought rising winds, falling temperatures, and significant wave heights. Heavy freezing spray and rapid icing are cited as the likely cause of the vessel’s loss of stability. The Alert and its crew were reported missing between Uganik Bay and Alitak Bay, and despite extensive searches no debris, wreckage, or remains have been recovered.

The absence of physical evidence has left the families without closure. If anyone has memories, photos, or information about the Alert or its crew in February 1985, please share what is known.