News Release

Park Officials Identify Diver Fatality

Date: August 8, 2019
Contact: Ingrid Nixon, 907-697-2619

BARTLETT COVE, AK 5:00PM AKDT – Park officials have released the name of the diver who died yesterday in the waters off the outer coast of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

The deceased is Umihiko Hoshjima, 27, from Santa Cruz, California. Mr. Hoshjima was conducting research in a dive operation off the US Geological Survey (USGS) vessel, Gyre, when he was found on the surface unresponsive. His coworkers began CPR, but were unsuccessful in resuscitating him. The incident occurred in Torch Bay, north of Cape Spencer, where Mr. Hoshjima was involved a project to resurvey underwater plots at depths less than 30 feet.

The body was transported to Juneau, Alaska, and released to the Alaska State Medical Examiner to determine the official cause of death. The USGS and National Park Service along with the US Coast Guard are conducting a Serious Accident Investigation to determine events that led up to Mr. Hoshjima’s death.

Mr. Hoshjima was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz specializing in the resilience of marine organisms to global climate change.