Floating in 90-Foot Waves Without a Life Raft: The La Conte Fishing Vessel Tragedy in Alaska | E197
Floating in 90-Foot Waves Without a Life Raft: The La Conte Fishing Vessel Tragedy in Alaska | E197  
Podcast: The CRUX: True Survival Stories
Published On: Mon Nov 24 2025
Description: This episode of the Crux True Survival Story Podcast, hosted by medical professionals Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen dives into the harrowing account of the fishing vessel La Conte, which sank in the Gulf of Alaska on January 30th, 1998. The vessel, carrying five experienced fishermen, met its fate in one of the worst storms in Alaska's history. The lack of a life raft, combined with extreme weather conditions and the vessel's age, led to a catastrophic series of events. The crew's ordeal of surviving in 38-degree water in survival suits under hurricane-force winds is recounted in gripping detail. The podcast highlights the extraordinary efforts of three Coast Guard helicopter crews who braved impossible conditions to rescue three of the five men, making it one of the most challenging maritime rescues ever attempted. This story serves as a stark reminder of the ocean's unforgiving nature and the critical importance of proper safety equipment. Timestamps- 00:31 Welcome to the Crux True Survival Story Podcast 00:55 Setting the Scene: A Nightmarish Survival Situation 02:49 The Sinking of the Fishing Vessel 04:09 The Fairweather Grounds: Dangerous Waters 05:18 The La Conte: An Aging Vessel 06:36 The Crew's Desperate Last Run 08:09 The Storm Intensifies 10:27 Abandoning Ship: Into the Freezing Waters 15:54 The Coast Guard's Harrowing Rescue Attempt 23:14 Desperate Attempts at Rescue 26:38 The Final Hope: Third Helicopter Crew 27:14 A Race Against Time and Hypothermia 29:48 The Heart-Wrenching Choices 32:57 The Aftermath and Investigation 40:31 Lessons Learned from the Tragedy 44:44 Conclusion and Reflections Listen AD FREE: Support our podcast at patreaon: http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcast Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/ Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/ References-  Alaska Shipwrecks Database - La Conte entry with crew information and incident details (alaskashipwreck.com) "Coming Back Alive" by Spike Walker - Detailed account based on survivor interviews "The Last Run" by Todd Lewan - Associated Press investigative report and book U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange records Daily Sitka Sentinel, February 3, 1998 - "CG to Investigate Why Boat Didn't Have Raft" NOAA Storm Data, January 1998 - Gulf of Alaska weather conditions Coast Guard Aviation History archives - Rescue mission documentation Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.