Great Sitkin Island facts for kids
Great Sitkin Island (Aleut: Sitх̑naх̑; Russian: Большой Ситкин) is a volcanic island located in Alaska. It is part of the Andreanof Islands, which are a group of islands in the larger Aleutian Islands chain. The island covers an area of about 60 square miles (155 square kilometers). It lies slightly north of other islands, positioned between Adak Island and Atka Island.
The northern part of Great Sitkin Island is dominated by the impressive Great Sitkin Volcano. This volcano stands tall, reaching a height of about 5,710 feet (1,740 meters). The island itself is approximately 11 miles (18 kilometers) long and 10.5 miles (16.94 kilometers) wide.
Island History
Great Sitkin Island has an interesting past. During World War II, it was used as a place to store fuel. You can still see the remains of the old oil tanks on the island today.
Past Incidents
The island has also been the site of a few notable events. On September 24, 1959, a Douglas DC-4 airplane crashed on the island. It was carrying 5 crew members and 11 passengers, and sadly, no one survived.
Later, on October 26, 1965, a ship named Ekaterini G. (which used to be called Josiah G. Holland) ran aground. This happened after it lost its propeller during a big storm at sea. Luckily, all the crew members on board were rescued safely. The ship was too damaged to be fixed and remains stuck on the western side of the island.
Another airplane crash occurred on December 11, 1973. A Douglas DC-6 crashed on the island, and all 10 people on board, both crew and passengers, were lost.
