Fishing Lives Lost at Sea

Francesco Olivari
Giorgio Lombardi
Marcello Prioli
Lost at Sea; Bodies never recovered
16 August 1925

Jamie Todd Stewart
Drowned in boat collision; body not recovered
1 March 1993

Luke Anthony Murray
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
15 August 2016

Harry Redout
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
12 February 1902

Carlton Scott Tittums
Lost at Sea; Never found
27 July 2011

Judy Kathleen Webster
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
13 June 1975

Frank Travia
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
4 August 1977

John Campbell
George Alfred Campbell
Ernest Victor Campbell
Lost at Sea; Bodies never recovered
14 July 1907

Trevor Lloyd-Woods
Died at sea from natural causes; body recovered
8 August 1973

Alfred Elders
Drowned in Geraldton Harbour; Body recovered
7 September 1933

Carl Alfred Andersen
William Pottinger
Drowned in Port Hedland harbour; bodies recovered
03 July 1913

William Skillan
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
December 1881

Keith Raymond “Digby” Milner
Richard Owen Williams
Two newsmen killed in light aircraft crash; Bodies recovered
28 November 1960

Karium
Murdered; body buried at Cygnet Bay
25 December 1894

John Gustof Fredberg
Washed off the vessel near Wooramel; body not recovered
9 March 1903

Henry Benjamin "Harry" Halliday
Lost at Sea; Body never recovered
12 September 1911

Hans Rasmussen
James Henry Morris
Drowned at sea; Bodies recovered
28 October 1899

Ah Ming
Lost when boat wrecked; body not recovered
23 October 1891

Charles Henry Wilcock, master
William Smith, mate
Edwarde Kynde, cook
Kingslake, crew
Garrard, crew
Haagen, crew
Haagensen, crew
Joseph Johnston, passenger (only son of Reverend J Johnston)
Henry Chatfield, passenger
George Jones, passenger
William Faulkner, passenger
Drowned aboard the Gem; no bodies recovered
18 May 1876

Karlis Dambitis
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
29 November 1967

William Watson
Charles Gill
Dennis Connor
E. Shadwell
20 Aboriginal divers from Shark Bay
Drowned at Sea; One body found
24 December 1875

Peter Andreas Gundersen
Drowned in Fremantle Harbour; Body recovered
24 June 1903

Frederick Benjamin Beauglehole
Kevin Edward Williams
Drowned at sea; Never found
29 August 1984

Arsad Saleh
Salman Kawak Jalanting
Safarudin Jalating
Harno Acing
Muhammad Yamin
Puling
Rendi
Junias Laifoy
Juven Rissi
Lost at Sea off Rowley Shoals as a result of Tropical Cyclone Ilsa
12 April 2023

Alex Forbes
Drowned in the Swan River; Body recovered
24 June 1830

John Nye
Drowned in the Swan River; Body recovered
28 November 1830

Hou Chuin 12
Lost with all 15 crew North of Barrow Island
14 March 1979

Thomas Liadel
Edmund Christoffersen
Drowned at Sea; Buried near Yanchep Beach
Died between 12 September and 3 October 1930

Robert John Gray
Presumed Lost at Sea; Body never recovered
1 May 1917

Roger Nunn William Bligh
Heart Attack at Sea; Body recovered
25 November 1943

Bror Emanuel Ericson
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
13 September 1923

David Alan Weir
Died from multiple Injuries sustained from a shark attack; Body recovered
11 September 1995

Robert Thompson, surveyor
The unnamed mate
Three unnamed crew members
Drowned in a cyclone; bodies not recovered
10 March 1912

Isaac Doust
Likely murdered
April 1884

6 unnamed divers
Drowned when boat sank in a cyclone
24 December 1875

Wasyl (Victor) Muran
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
26 July 1978

George Frederick Cant
Drowned in Geraldton Harbour; Body recovered
19 June 1905

Luigi Senni
Julius Valandis
Vasilio Valandis
Lost at Sea; Body of Luigi Senni likely recovered
11 June 1901

Henry McPherson
Michael Lawson
George Shenton
Mr. Teede
Boat built from the wreck of Africa; All wrecked; All Persons Lost at Sea
23 February 1867

Arthur Granlund
Edward Charles Ryles
Lost at Sea; Bodies recovered and buried
End of September 1922

John Shea and Frederick Cooper
Murdered at Yule River; bodies recovered
5 September 1875

Cultural content warning - this story contains content about blackbirding and historical racism. FLatSea attempts to present history as it happened, and we acknowledge some of our history is culturally disturbing to some readers.

Our memorial trail exists to honour our lost fishers and their contribution to our life in Western Australia today. Out of respect for the First Nations People affected by blackbirding, it is our decision to omit the characters in this story from the memorial trail.

Frank Hugo Bissenberger (Bass)
John Smith
Lost between Cape Jaubert and Wyndham; found to be murdered
2 December 1920

Pemberton Walcott
Died aboard his vessel, buried in Broome
14 July 1883

Hugh Cameron Gill
Symond Bevan Hahn
Lost At Sea; Never Found
7 March 1968

Henry Courtenay
Drowned at Sea; Body Recovered
7 September 1894

John Callaghan
Lost overboard; body not recovered
23 August 1890

"Sam"
Drowned at Sea; Unclear if body ever recovered
21 April 1896

Broer Soolsma
Frederick Erickson
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
14 November 1929

John Anderson
Drowned in Geraldton harbour; body recovered
12 April 1903

Kalif
Knocked overboard and drowned
23 August 1890

Nirba
Ballemerda
Died from wounds received in onboard incident
27 October 1875

Barry Roy Beale
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
25 September 1997

William Brooker
Drowned; body recovered and buried at Cossack
15 December 1898

Martti Jooseppi Tolonen
Drowned when his boat was hit by a breaker; body not recovered
17 April 1962

Leon Vincent Liedle
Lost at Sea; Body never recovered
19 August 1949

Bernard Stewart "Stewie" Clarkson
Drowned when vessel sank; body recovered
10 January 1980

Frederick Davis
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
22 April 1909

Stephen Johnson
Carl Gustav Evert Berg
Lost at sea, Never found
1 October 1949

Matthew Forrest
Died aboard the Pearl; body recovered
14 December 1884

Alfred Okamoto
Drowned in the Harvey Estuary; Body recovered
25 July 1978

Kristian (Christian) Flagstad
Death by breaking of a “toggle” causing a piece of whale flesh to fall upon him
5 June 1914

Stephen Ernest Tuckey
Ernest (William) Bartley Tuckey
Henry Charles Evans
Drowned at Sea; Body of Stephen Tuckey recovered
3 January 1890

Leslie Hubert John Miller
Drowned in the Swan River; Body recovered
7 June 1946

Francesco Migliori (Migliore)
Shot dead by a Sentry when approaching with his boat too close to the Prohibition Zone on Rottnest Island
1 December 1914

Giuseppe (Joseph) Basile
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
8 November 1933

Thomas (Tom) Alexander Ure
John George (Jack) Clarke
Drowned while rowing dinghy from Neta to Henry; bodies not recovered
8 July 1914

Frank Casparson
Martin Martinsen
Robert Sharpen
Lost at Sea; Never found
10 February 1937

Karl Karlssen
Drowned near Bunbury Jetty; Body recovered
14 July 1907

Norman Frederickson
Lost overboard; Body never recovered
31 August 1951

Michael John Small
Lost at Sea; Presumed drowned, but homicide not excluded
1 August 2001

George Gellin
Drowned in the Leschenault Estuary; Body recovered and buried in Bunbury Cemetery
24 June 1941

Pietro (Peter) Vinci
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
29 April 1926

Kamika Akazaki
Unnamed Malay tender
Drowned when boat sank in storm; one body recovered
12 May 1914

Hugh William Strain
Drowned near the mouth of the Hay River in the Wilson Inlet; Body recovered
12 July 1933

Gunnar “Teddy” Olsen (Oldusen)
Drowned at sea; Body recovered
10 February 1937

Harold Thomas Saw
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
12 December 1952

Leo Kampe
Drowned at sea; Body recovered
28 to 31 December 1975

Charles Jones
Lost at Sea; Unclear if body was ever recovered
13 June 1901

Herbert Knowles Tournay
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
6 August 1952

Arthur Nelson Blake
Thomas Knudsen
Drowned in Geraldton Harbour; Bodies recovered
21 March 1949

Charles Doggett
Jesse Ward
Toolum
Bodies never recovered
April - May 1887

Mark Francis Foster
Drowned when boat capsized; body not recovered
01 April 1983

Thomas Katnic
Antun (Anthony) Yanko (Jack) Kosic
Tony Sardelic
Drowned at Sea; Bodies never recovered
26 June 1923

Jean Baptiste Le Taul
Drowned at Sea; Buried at Skinner Street Cemetery, Fremantle
20 August 1896

Barry Royce Allen
Ronald Poole
Antonio (Tony) Romasanta-Bazarra
Lost at Sea; Never Found
26 April 1963

Matteo Cipriani
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
4 July 1903

Yohanis Balu
Ibrahim Loe
Yunus Modokh
Pice Nalukh
Denis Busu
Panji Balu
Benyamin Pah
Rifan Balu
Ari Arbet Giri
Lost at Sea off Ashmore Reef; Bodies never recovered
18 March 2022

Roy Percival Cuthbert
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
9 March 1969

Domenico Cappelluti
Mauro Caputo
Giovanni Germinario
Salvatore (Silvio) Marchese
Antonio Marino
Luigi Pittorino
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
1 October 1946

Master Letchftord
Four Europeans
Three First Nations Ngarla men
20 Malayan men
All souls lost; no remains recovered
3 February 1873

Martin Petersen
Paul (unknown surname)
Drowned at Sea; Bodies never recovered
29 August 1914

John James Smith
George Greenhalgh
Drowned at Sea; Bodies recovered
6 July 1949

Alexander Young Smart
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
(On or Before) 19 March 1909

Toshiyuki Hatakeyama
Declared missing and drowned; Body never recovered
6 August 1979

Daniel Da Silva Garces
Lost at sea; Never found
4 August 1973

Hjalmar "Sonny Boy" Lindquist
Died of lung disease on Rat Island; buried in Geraldton
9 October 1965

George Barbarich
Mate Parentich
Drowned at Sea; Both buried at Karrakatta Cemetery
16 March 1961

Richard Arthur Hancock
Fell overboard; Body never recovered
18 November 1945

Vito Spadavecchia
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
28 April 1940

Charles Haskell
John Hyde
William Hyde
John Graham
John Petit
Joh Davies
Lost from Settler's whaleboat; two bodies recovered
3 July 1837

Thomas (Hakawila) Kanaka "Kakanita"
Lost at Sea; Body never recovered
29 July 1905

Emil Hellgren
Drowned near Bunbury Jetty; Body recovered
16 October 1929

Jarrod Arthur Hampton
Death by drowning from an uncontrolled ascent
14 April 2012

Howard Foale
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
13 October 1949

Antony (Ante) Garbin
Andrew (Andrija) Barbich
Drowned at Sea; Body of Garbin recovered
6 July 1911

Rudolf Ernest Gustav Holtz;
Unknown Dane/Norwegian (Hansen?);
Drowned at sea; Body of Holtz recovered
Left Fremantle on 21 June 1916 and last seen on 5 July 1916

Cono Tripi
Drowned at Sea;
Body recovered and buried at Fremantle Cemetery
9 October 1913

George Raymond Houston
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
31 August 1974

Richard (Dick) Johnson
Drowned in Koombana Bay; Body recovered
10 August 1944

(George) William Frederick Douglas Nelson
Drowned in Geraldton harbour, body recovered
25 June 1952

Houssein, diver
Murdered, body buried at Wallal
26 December 1896

Alto
Captain Morgan Nelson, master
T.H. [Old Tom] Lucas, mate
W.H. Bartlett, cook
J. Neilsen, crew member
T. Lucas, crew member
Unknown number of pearl boat crew men from Hong Kong
Disappeared at sea, no bodies found
1 March 1920.

Daniel Goodall
Drowned in Campbell's Lake; Body recovered
Between 26 to 28 July 1995

Fred (Frederick Henry) Tetlow
Drowned in Geraldton Harbour, body recovered
11 August 1956

Lars Larsen
Drowned; Never found
12 November 1900

James Brent Bickers
Drowned at sea; Body recovered
23 July 1974

Alistair Bowes Williams
Drowned at Port Gregory; body recovered
21 May 1939

Pieter Weltevreden
Drowned at Sea; Never found
2 December 1930

Hans Christian Koldbro Yder
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
10 July 1965

James Tomoto
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
9 July 1901

Herbertus Jacobus Franciscus Ackermans
Jeffrey Ross Champion
Lost at Sea; Bodies never recovered
9 November 2002

Jura (George) Zurinicic (Zurinich)
Missing and presumed drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
30 October 1921

Robert Shea and Samuel Miller
Murdered at Muccan Station; body recovered
5 September 1872

Content warning - this story contains content about blackbirding and historical racism. FLatSea website administrators attempt to present history as it happened, and we acknowledge some of our history is culturally disturbing to some readers.

Our memorial trail exists to honour our lost fishers, the important part they played in the development of our fishing industry, and their contribution to our life in Western Australia today. It is our decision to omit the characters in this story from the memorial trail.

Barry Parker
Drowned at sea; Body recovered
31 January 1951

? (name unknown)
Loss of one crew member from hunger and exhaustion; 30 miles North of Moore River
29 June 1844

William Arthur North
Drowned in Torbay Inlet; Body recovered
12 September 1972

Eero Juhani Tolonen
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
30 March 1969

Three unnamed Aboriginal divers
Drowned in a storm, bodies not recovered
16 January 1884

Genj
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
18 April 1904

Peter "Gus" Johnson
Died at Pelsart Island of "heat apoplexy"
14 December 1905

Nicholas Constantine
Drowned At Sea; Never Found
7 November 1895

Axel Johansen
Drowned at sea; Body never recovered
18 July 1912

Antonio Cavalea
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
13 December 1972

Leonard Arthur Farmer
Charles Oliver Lyons
Alfred Roy Bromfield
Ronald Frederick Stott
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
9 February 1946

Albert Henry Money
Theodore James Money
Lost at Sea; Never Found
3 February 1916

Mariano Indelicato
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
27 January 1898

Sverre Nilsen
Herbert Percival Willis
Drowned in Koombana Bay; Bodies recovered
18 May 1944

Ah Soor
Body thrown overboard and not recovered
8 June 1881

John Arthur Reddell (Master)
Leslie Jack Reddell (Master’s Son)
James (Jim) Taylor (Carpenter/Mate)
Jimmy (Aboriginal Crew)
Ando (Japanese Crew)
Murdered by Mutiny
19 October 1899

John Moran
Drowned in Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour; Body recovered
6 April 1901

Robert Thomas Allen
Edward Joseph Foster
William George Roser
Drowned at Sea; Never found
14 to 15 Feburary 1964

Mark Liebglid, murdered 30 August 1905
Charles Hagen, hung for murder on 14 December 1905
Pablo Marquex, hung for murder on 14 December 1905
Simeon Espada, hung for murder on 14 December 1905
Castilla Toledo, drowned in cyclone on 8 December 1908
Sulu, died from heart attack in 1910
Gomez, died by suicide, 1911
Abrahaim Vahl Davis, lost in cyclone on 20 March 1912

George Henry Alder
William Francis George Hedge-Thomson
Harry Stewart
Lost at Sea; Bodies never recovered
29 May 1931

Tatao Hiyomori
Declared missing and drowned; Body never recovered
8 January 1986

Glen Stanley Williams
Drowned when boat wrecked; body recovered
29 November 1963

Richard Peter Bisley
Pearl Farm Diver taken by a shark
21 November 1993

Thrasyvalos Eustration
Drowned at sea; Body recovered
28 November 1899

Alfie Pearson
Sambo Miller
Drowned when vessel wrecked; bodies recovered
18 February 1921

John (Jack) S Andrews
Carl Johansen (Jensen)
Fred Matterson
Drowned at sea; body of Jack Andrews recovered
27 November 1892

Deckhand Grove
Fell overboard; body not recovered
March 1866

All hands and 34 passengers lost
Vessel lost; no bodies recovered
3 March 1867

Charles Swanson
Disappeared; body never recovered
1 January 1943

Lily
Ah Wee
Three Chinese crew members
Lost at sea; bodies not recovered
01 March 1889

Toby William Jamieson
19 May 2001
Drowned at Sea; body never recovered

Charles Doust
Yu Sing
Drowned when boat wrecked in a cyclone; bodies not recovered
1 December 1885

Attanasio Farinola
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
13 March 1934

Andrew John Tresise
Death by Drowning; Body recovered
7 April 2002

Gordon Ambrose Willis
Fell off Busselton Jetty striking his head causing him to drown;
Body recovered
24 April 1905

Paolo Carbonaro
Giuseppe Monastra
Salvatore Monastra
Drowned at Sea; Buried at Fremantle Cemetery
16 December 1969

Petar Bozidar Butko
Drowned at Sea; Never found
16 December 1968

Axel Hansen
Albert Anderson
Oscar Anderson
James Gray
Drowned at Sea; Body of Albert Anderson recovered
19 September 1923

Colin Boot
Frederick Lindsay Hunt
Brian Sharp
Presumed Drowned at Sea; Never Found
18 November 1961

Gustave Heel/Hill
Drowned at sea;
Body recovered and buried in Lancelin Sand Dunes
26 January 1915

Eldon Stuart Pink
Rose May Pink (nee Arthur Upjohn)
Drowned at Sea; Body of Rose Pink recovered
25 April 1935

Herman Ahrens
Henry Ferhman
Drowned at Sea; Bodies recovered
29 June 1896

Winston Peter Sweeting
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
3 May 1971

Jack Roy Douglass
Drowned in estuary; body recovered
27 May 1926

George Wear
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
20 February 1983

Ellen Elderly
One-arm Dick
Body of Elderly found on Mackay Island; Unknown cause of death
August 1937

Barry Ray Jessen
Lost at Sea; Body never recovered
17 August 2006

Raymond Doneo
Dragged over the side by a cray rope; body recovered
22 April 1989

Frederick Anderson
Frank Thomas Mohr
Drowned at Sea; Body of Anderson recovered
19 September 1910

Claudius Buchanan Ker
Murdered aboard by Jimmy Long; buried in Cossack cemetery
7 September 1888

Joseph Maurea
Died aboard the Ethel from cholera
25 February 1882

John Berger (Jack) Akerstrom
Francis Michael (Frank) Linthorne
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
24 July 1924

John Mathiesen (Mathisen)
Struck by a whale tail; body recovered
23 August 1937

Kichinosuka (Kich) Minami
Died from consumption and inflammation of the lungs; Body recovered
11 September 1903

Mary Swan
2 daughters, 4 years and 9 months old
Charles Goodwin
Henry Gerald F. Parker
P. Berthelsen
Drowned when vessel was destroyed by cyclone
18 March 1877

Edward Tuckett
Drowned; body never recovered
10 May 1890

Gerrit Van Driel
Lost in Goss Passage, Long Island; body recovered
2 April 1983

Francis Joseph Newby
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
1 April 1978

Andrew Scott
William Roddick
Drowned at Sea; Bodies never recovered
13 June 1887

Richard (Dick) William Featch
Drowned at sea; Never found
20 March 1960

Joseph Ingonaoe
Loeloe Kintoe
Bire Manoe
Thimotioes Nali
Mezak Fek
Drowned at Sea; Bodies of Ingonaoe, Kintoe, Manoe and Nali recovered; Hand of Fek recovered
30 June 1942

George Long
Henry Wood
Captain O'Neil
17 divers and a cook
Drowned at Sea; No bodies found
24 December 1875

Drowned in Useless Harbour; Body never recovered
24 September 1875

Captain John Vincent
Mate John Beaty
5 unidentified crew members
George Fisher
Robert Ramsay
Thomas [Tom] Ralston
Henry Palmer
Harley Landor
M.A. Fogalstrom
Constable Bogue, his wife and three children
Lost at sea; bodies never recovered
24 January 1879

Henry (Harry) James Ball
Charles Aslesen
Lost At Sea; Bodies never recovered
21 August 1923

Katchong
Ishmael Bin Sahan
Sahib Bin Matt
Drowned when lugger capsized; no bodies recovered
6 February 1903

Thomas Atkins
Alec Klassen
Drowned at Sea; Bodies never recovered
31 March 1898

Arthur Hay
John Matthews
4 Aboriginal Crew Members (Fida, Albert, Peter and Sampi)
Drowned at Sea; Bodies never recovered
10 October 1899

Guiseppe Benvenuto
Drowned at Sea; Buried on Rat Island
22 February 1921

Patrick John Sullivan
Drowned in the Swan River; Body recovered
29 January 1913

George Nicholson
Fell overboard; body not recovered
19 October 1867

Mason Laurence Carter
Chad Alan Fairley
Murray Allan Turner
Drowned at Sea; Body of Murray Turner recovered
11 July 2015

William Reuben Gibson
Stanley Ernest Gibson
Leonard Brigham
Drowned at Sea; Body of William Reuben Gibson recovered
19 April 1931

William Sullivan
Clements Kaylor
Drowned at sea; Never Found
14 August 1904

Gustav Pontus Axell
Jalmar Saarenpaa
Drowned at Sea; Bodies recovered
7 September 1931

Arthur (John) Roberts
Phillip Everatt Hind
Drowned at Sea; Both bodies recovered
20 October 1960

William Garrard, owner and master
John Bryan
William Adams
William Woodman
Thomas Aaron (ticket-of-leave convict)
Moke and Nabra (two Aboriginal whaling crew members)
Margaret Allender, passenger
All persons Lost at Sea
25 June 1868

William Canalli (Connelly)
Drowned at Sea; Found three days later
30 November 1897

Alfio Romeo
Ian Robert Collins
Ian Crawford
Lost at sea; Bodies never recovered
3 July 1979

John Patrick Maher
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
24 April 1980

Fuh Jing Yang
Drowned at Sea; Body never recovered
4 August 1984

William W. Miles
2 Malay
1 Other Seaman
Disappeared without a trace; never found
Last Seen 25 July 1899

John Taylor
Drowned at sea; body never recovered
15 August 1964

George Matthew Vladich
Gordan Redford Truscott
Jose Goncalves Faria
Drowned at Sea; Never Found
30 December 1961

Richard John Lumley
Drowned at Little Pigeon Island; body recovered
24 July 1959

Five unnamed crew members
Died of scurvy, buried on Dirk Hartog Island
15 March 1841

M Desally, second mate and five unnamed crew members
Drowned in a storm; bodies not recovered
15 June 1841

Edward Bewley (aka Bulay)
Drowned while diving, body recovered
9 March 1885

Frederick Martin
Drowned at sea; body never recovered
24 November 1899

Robert Edwin Green
Drowned at Sea; Body recovered
6 May 1976

The Harmony

(Hugh) James Hatch
Daniel Brennan
Scott Clark
Janine Callow

Lady Pamela

Gavin Wayne Elliott
(Errol) Ian Jennings
Richard Mariu
Vessels capsized in Cyclone Bobby; Some bodies recovered
25 February 1995

George Papa Nicholias
Lost at Sea; Body never recovered
14 September 1904

Yaritosai Tomioka
Declared missing and drowned by suicide; Body never recovered
5 October 1972