Working Conditions Aboard the Hubbard

On February 20, 2025, the Coast Guard Cutter 'John McCormick' (MMSI: 338926421) teamed up with the ferry 'Hubbard' to conduct a search and rescue operation following the disappearance of the 43-foot commercial geoduck clam dive boat 'Canis Majoris' near Thorne Bay on Prince of Wales Island. The US Coast Guard received an emergency radio signal from the vessel around 6:30 PM, prompting a swift response. Dispatching from Ketchikan, the 'John McCormick' and a Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka began their search efforts. The 'Hubbard', which was positioned nearby in Clarence Strait en route to Juneau without passengers after its overhaul at Ketchikan's Vigor shipyard, was also alerted and quickly engaged in the rescue mission. The ferry crew deployed a speedboat to the distress site, where they discovered a life raft and floating debris but sadly no survivors. Given the deteriorating weather conditions, the crew of the 'Hubbard' had to prioritize safety and return to port. Coast Guard units maintained their search for approximately 25 hours before officially suspending operations on February 21. Initial reports indicated that only the owner/operator, David Klein, was aboard the 'Canis Majoris' at the time of its disappearance. Subsequent contacts confirmed that other potential crew members were not on the boat. As a result, on February 22, the Alaska State Troopers listed Klein as a missing person. The Coast Guard is actively seeking information regarding Klein or the 'Canis Majoris' and urges anyone with leads to reach out to the Ketchikan Troopers at 907-225-5118 or the Southeast Alaska Coast Guard Command Center at 907-463-2980.

On January 14, 2022, at 4:25 a.m., the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry 'Kennicott' encountered an allision with the vessel 'Hubbard' while maneuvering to dock in Ketchikan. The collision resulted in notable damage to the 'Kennicott', particularly on its starboard side, including the destruction of a window and damage to a sponson. Fortunately, the 'Hubbard' sustained only minimal damage from the incident. Promptly following the allision, the U.S. Coast Guard was alerted, leading to the initiation of an internal investigation. Thankfully, no crew members aboard either vessel were injured during this occurrence. At the time of the accident, the 'Kennicott' was beginning its scheduled annual overhaul, while the 'Hubbard' was set to kick off a capital improvement project for the construction of crew quarters in 2022. Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has indicated that they do not expect the damage incurred from this incident to hinder the timelines for these projects or the return to service dates for both vessels.