An anchor-weighing ended in tragedy on the Alaska Peninsula on Sunday after a man went overboard while attempting to retrieve the anchor prior to getting underway. according to the Alaska State Troopers. The crew member was thrown overboard after a wave hit the side of the boat, tossing him into the sea.

A report went in to the Alaska State Troopers via the U.S. Coast Guard in Juneau reporting a man overboard after the skipper of the vessel Matt-Michelle, 48-year-old Palmer resident, Bert Bendixen, sent out a distress call as he attempted to retrieve his overboard crew member, 53-year-old Rudy Paul Dushkin.

Bendixen attempted  to reach his man-overboard with a life-ring and other means, but the current in the area swept Dushkin further and further from the vessel. Eventually his efforts were successful and Bendixen managed to get a long line to the man and towed him closer to shore. Once closer, Bendixen donned a survival suit and entered the water to rescue his man. Ultimately, Bendixen was able to pull Dushkin to shore.

Once onshore Bendixen, and the crew of the Miss Roxanne, who responded to the distress call, attempted to resuscitate the now unresponsive Dushkin, but were unsuccessful. Dushkin was pronounced deceased.

Dushkin’s remains were taken back to his hometown of King Cove aboard the Matt-Michelle and arraignments were made to transfer Dushkin’s body to the state Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Dushkin’s next of kin were notified.

Correction: This article first misidentified the skipper of the Matt-Michelle as Raymond Leslie Koso as per the Alaska State Troopers. This article has now been corrected with the actual skipper’s name of Bert Bendixen. The Alaska Native News apologizes for that mistake.

Raymond Leslie Koso is the name of the skipper of the responding vessel, Miss Roxanne.

  Alaska, drowning, king cove, matt-michelle, raymond koso, rudy dushkin