A Wildlife Trooper and Technician aboard the P/V Courage, a Coast Guard helicopter, divers from the Sitka Fire Department as well as a “good samaritan” diver, responded to the scene in Katlian Bay after the Sitka Police Dispatch received a report of a heavy equipment accident there at 11:56 am on Thursday.

The caller reported that one man, identified as 61-year-old Sitka resident Maurice “Kim” St. Michell Jr, was unaccounted for after an excavator he was operating went into the water while doing roadwork there.

Just over two hours later, at 2:10 pm, divers located and recovered St. Michell’s remains from the water.

The State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage requested St. Michell’s remains for autopsy.

His next of kin was notified of the fatal incident.

  accident, death, deceased, excavator, katlian bay, kim, maurice, sitka, st michell