1933 — Jan 24, storm, diesel Umnak Native strands, Umnak Isl., Inanudak Bay, AK –11-12

–12 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A–Z.” (U).
–Notes 12 fatalities, all of whom are named below.
–11 AK Bur. Ocean Energy Mgmt., Reg., Enforce. Alaska’s Worst All Time Shipping Losses.
–11 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1926-1950.”
–11 Hudson, Ray. Moments Rightly Placed: An Aleutian Memoir. 2007, p. 144.
–11 Nelson, Eric. Shipwrecks on Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Oct 28, 2007.
— 9 Gottehrer, Dean M. The Associated Press Stylebook for Alaska. 2000, p. 92.

Narrative Information

Alaskashipwreck.com: “1933…Umnak Native…SW [southwest area]…59 Foot…49 Tow WOS [wood oil screw]…11 [lives lost]…4 [lived].” (Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1926-1950.”)

Alaskashipwreck.com: “Umnak Native (1933). The 49 ton 59 foot wooden oil screw Umnak Native stranded and was lost on Umnak Island the evening of Tuesday January 24, 1933. The vessel departed Unalaska January 19, 1933 bound for Atka. There were 11 passengers and 5 crewmen aboard when the vessel was forced into Inanudak Bay on the northwest side of Umnak Island by contrary weather. The crewmembers were mostly Native trappers who had been picked up along the way and recruited to assist aboard the Umnak Native which was owned by the Native Community of Umnak. During the night, a cold northerly wind blew the Umnak Native loose from her poorly protected anchorage on the northwest side of Umnak Island. Both her engines and her anchor tackle failed and the doomed vessel piled onto the rocks of Inanudak Bay. Four drowned as the vessel was pounded on the reefs by the heavy wind and seas. 12 survivors clung to the wreckage and somehow in the dark of night one by one made it to the snow covered beach. Three Native trappers, cold and wet, immediately set out on foot for help. The closest village was a 60 mile hike away. Eight of the nine who stayed behind eventually succumbed to the cold and were lost. It was more than a week before the three trappers were able to return with help, not expecting to find any survivors. A cold winter storm had been hampering travel and threatening their very lives. It was only with super human effort that they were able to return to the wreck site again on foot. When they finally arrived to the scene of the wreck in Inanudak Bay, only Bishop Antonin Pokrovsky was alive. All told, 12 were lost including all but one of the passengers and the master of the vessel. The following are excerpts from the casualty report:

“Strong gale, boat stranded at 7 0’clock p.m.” “Inanudak Bay, Umnak Island” “Engine failed and anchor chain parted.”

“The Umnak Native was a total loss. Lost with her were [we break paragraph into single lines]

1. the vessel’s captain John Stankus,
2. his wife Olga Stankus and
3. their infant child,
4. captain Andrew M Nelson of the Eunice,
5. Vern Shasibnikoff,
6. Mike P Tutiakoff a Russian priest from Umnak,
7. John Galaktianoff,
8. Stephan Krukof,
9. Stephan Bezezekof,
10. Matfey Pobvorof,
11. Andrebik S Krukof, and
12. George A Krukof.

“Bishop Antonin Pokrovsky was the only passenger to survive the wreck along with three native hunters. The Bishop’s legs and feet were said to have been completely frozen. The Umnak Native was also carrying $3,815 worth of furs and general merchandise. The vessel had a value of $12,000 which was a total loss along with her cargo. The vessel was not insured but the cargo was fully insured.

“Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska 53 18 N 168 25 W Chart 16011.

“Comment: A newspaper article from the period mentions that Bishop Antonin, the ranking Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska as the 13th casualty in this disaster. Bishop Antonin survived. Also 100 blue fox pups were mentioned as being on board.

“Additional Information: Tonnage 49 Gross 33 Net, Length 59.2, Breadth 16.5, Depth 7.8, Built 1929 at Seattle WA, HP 75, Registered Juneau, ON 228207, Master John Stankus of Unalaska, Owner Umnak Native Community of Umnak.

“Sources: 1. U S C G Report of Casualty May 20, 1933 at Unalaska by Larry Stepetin, Seaman, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1932) Pgs 556-7, 3. San Diego Evening Tribune (February 13, 1933) “13 Die on Ship in Storm as Trio Saved” Page Nine.” (Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A–Z.” (U).)

Gottehrer: “Jan. 24, 1913. The trading vessel Umnak Native, owned by the Aleut village of Nikolski, hit the rocks in seas higher than the pilot house. The vessel, with 13 aboard, was en route home with Native fox trappers. Safety had been the subject of bitter debate between the Aleuts and the white captain who took charge after accusing the Natives of timidity. Engine failure and the slipping of the anchor sealed their fate. Only four survived; among them was Russian Bishop Antonin Pokrofsky who spent 11 days on Umnak before rescue.” (Gottehrer, Dean M. The Associated Press Stylebook for Alaska. 2000, p. 92.)

Hudson: Umnak Native. “A prolonged violent storm cornered the vessel in Inanudak Bay on Umnak Island. Prior to the sale of the Umnak Native to Nikolski village, its original engine had been replaced by an inferior one. Now the engine failed and the vessel broke apart. Eleven people…died from drowning or exposure.” (Hudson, Ray. Moments Rightly Placed: An Aleutian Memoir. 2007, p. 144.)

Nelson: “Umnak Is., 1933, Jan 24th, the diesel screw Umnak Native parted its anchor chain in Cemetery Bay during a storm. The engine wouldn’t start and the vessel stranded, leading to the loss of 10 passengers and one crewman. (MMS)(Bill Ermeloff)” (Nelson, Eric. Shipwrecks on Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Oct 28, 2007.)

Sources

Alaska Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. Alaska’s Worst All Time Shipping Losses. Accessed 11-22-2021 at: https://www.boem.gov/about-boem/alaskas-worst-all-time-shipping-losses

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1926-1950.” Accessed 11-24-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/alaska-shipwrecks-1729-2012/alaska-shipwrecks-1926-1950-2/

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A–Z.” (U). Accessed 11-23-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/shipwrecks-a-z/alaska-shipwrecks-u/
Gottehrer, Dean M. The Associated Press Stylebook for Alaska (Revised and 2nd edition). Fairbanks, Alaska: Epicenter Press, 2000. Partially digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=O53zwdFYTGEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Hudson, Ray. Moments Rightly Placed: An Aleutian Memoir. Epicenter Press, 2007. Google preview at: http://books.google.com/books?id=QblVsBpLMNAC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Nelson, Eric. Shipwrecks on Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. 10-28-2007. Accessed at: http://www.amnwr.com/ShipwreckList.htm