Coast Guard teams in Alaska suspend search for at least five people after 24 hours A fishing vessel capsized off the coast of Southeast Alaska on Sunday During stormy winds and heavy snowfall.
US Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska At 12:10 a May Day call was received from the Wind Walker fishing vessel.
The crew reported that the 50-foot vessel had capsized. An emergency position-indicating radio beacon alert placed the ship in the icy strait south of Point Couverden.
The Coast Guard Southeast Alaska Sector issued an urgent maritime broadcast and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka was deployed with a 45-foot response boat and a crew from Juneau to search the area.
According to the Coast Guard, AMHS Hubbard, a yacht, heard the broadcast and was the first to arrive at the scene to assist in the search.
People familiar with the ship told Coast Guard officials that there were five people on board, but the number has not been confirmed.
The Coast Guard said seven cold water immersion suits and two strobe lights were located in the water. As of Monday morning, no one aboard the Wind Walker has been found.
Later on Monday, the Coast Guard said it had suspended its search “pending the development of new information.”
Coast Guard crews searched an area of more than 108 square nautical miles for nearly 24 hours.
“We stand in grief and solidarity with the friends and family of those we have not been able to locate over the last 24 hours,” Chief Warrant Officer James Coon said. “I am extremely grateful for the swiftness of our staff and other search assets who came together to enhance our efforts and fully saturate our search areas. “Our collective hearts go out to those friends and families…who are experiencing the effects of this loss.”
The National Weather Service in Fairbanks issued a winter storm warning for parts of Southeast Alaska, including Glacier Bay National Park and Juneau.
A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Hoonah, the nearest town to Icy Strait, where the Wind Walker ship crashed.
Snow, wind and freezing rain are forecast through Monday morning in the watch and warning areas. Local weather conditions in the search area included heavy snowfall, winds between 45 and 60 mph, and 6-foot seas.
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