William McGill has spent much of his life at sea, first in the Merchant Marine and then fishing in the Bering Sea — 30 years as a licensed master. He captained the Alaska Ranger for 14 years before he was elevated to operations manager for the Fishing Company of Alaska fleet. A soft-spoken man, when he first presented himself to the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation in Seattle, many had to strain to pick up his words. But, one message was clear: The Alaska Ranger died because of a catastrophic hull failure. But, five men died because of what happened after the failure. In hearings in Dutch Harbor, Anchorage, and Seattle, The Marine Board dissected the tragedy into intertwined narratives. Here's a summary:
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