ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Alaska State Troopers say a 56-year-old Washington state man died after he fell overboard from a tug towing a barge off the Nome coast.

Troopers say David Whitemarsh fell from the tug July 4 while the vessel was towing a barge into the Port of Nome.

According to troopers, life-saving efforts were unsuccessful after Whitemarsh was pulled out of the water.

Troopers spokesman Ken Marsh says Whitemarsh was the captain of the tug.

Marsh says he doesn’t know why it took so long for troopers publicly disclose the death. He says troopers were notified about 20 minutes after the incident.

Whitemarsh’s remains were sent to the state medical examiner’s office.