State troopers have released the name of a man who died in an excavator accident Thursday (10/25/19) while working on the Katlian Bay Road in Sitka.
The body of 61-year old Maurice “Kim” St. Mitchell Jr. of Sitka was recovered by rescue divers shortly after 2 p.m., two hours after the excavator plummeted into the water.
According to Trooper spokesperson Ken Marsh, the ground gave way beneath the excavator Mitchell was operating, causing a landslide. The machine — along with tons of rock, soil, and trees — slid around 100 feet into the bay.
Wildlife Troopers, the Sitka Fire Department dive team, and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the accident.
The state medical examiner has requested the body for autopsy and next of kin have been notified.
Hanson Maritime, a local marine salvage company, is now working to stabilize the excavator so it can be pulled out of the water. KCAW spoke with Lee Hanson who said the excavator is submerged in 30 feet of water, but the surrounding area is very unstable, and attempts to salvage the machine without first securing it could lead to it sinking deeper into the bay. Hanson’s team placed around 400 feet of boom around the machine to contain any oil and debris.
Update (10-25-19): This story was updated 1:45 p.m. to include information about excavator salvage and containment of pollutants.
