Selendang Ayu
Bulk Freighter · Malaysia · Lost 2004 · The Aleutians & the Bering Sea
A Malaysian bulk freighter that lost power in a Bering Sea storm, grounded on Unalaska Island, and broke apart, killing six in the rescue effort.
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The Vessel and Her Loss
The Selendang Ayu was a Malaysian-flagged bulk freighter carrying soybeans across the North Pacific when she lost engine power in a severe December 2004 storm. Drifting helplessly, she grounded on Unalaska Island in the Aleutians and broke into two sections, spilling fuel oil and cargo into the Bering Sea. During the desperate rescue effort a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed into the sea, killing six people including crew and a rescue swimmer. The disaster prompted a major fuel spill cleanup and led to changes in North Pacific shipping lane routing.
Vessel
- Not established
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- Steel
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- Diesel, single screw
- IMC Shipping
Loss
- December 8, 2004
- Mechanical failure
- Off Unalaska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
- Bering Sea
- Not established
- Soybeans
- 26
- 6
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The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Broken in two on the shoreline
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Position
- 53.98° N 166.87° W
- Approximate position
- Unalaska Island, Alaska
General grounding site on Unalaska Island as reported by NOAA and Coast Guard incident records.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)
NOAA Office of Response and Restoration
Loss date, cause, cargo, and environmental impact.
United States Coast Guard
Rescue effort details and casualty count.
