Coast Guard and good Samaritans are searching for five people missing after the presumed capsizing of the fishing vessel Wind Walker, based out of Sitka. The most recent Wind Walker’s vessel registration shows Carmen (and/or Dale) Bartelds of Sitka as the owner; however we have learned the vessel was sold in 2023 to Travis Kapp, dba Mermaid Fisheries, LLC.
At 12:10 a.m. on Sunday the crew called in a mayday to the Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska watchstanders, saying they were “overturning.” The Coast Guard attempted to gather more information but was not successful in getting a response. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter out of Sitka, and a Juneau-based search boat headed to the scene.
The search area is around Pt. Couverden near Hoonah, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The last-known sighting was west of Rocky Island, about 15 miles west of Juneau, around Icy Strait/Chatham Strait.
Coast Guard vessels and the state ferry M/V Hubbard, which was first on the scene, are involved in the search for the 50-foot-long seiner.
Five people were thought to be on board based on “reports from individuals familiar with those aboard the vessel,” the Coast Guard said in a press release. Searchers reportedly have found seven cold-water survival gear and other emergency items. No people had been located as of Sunday afternoon.
Weather in the area included heavy snow and winds between 45-60 mph, with 6-foot seas.
Extra weight from ice build up on the vessel’s sides can cause it to roll over. RIP
This bad weather was fully predicted with high winds, snow, freezing spray. What were they doing out there?
God rest their souls.
Any crew names released yet ?
Tons of prayers up for all
Involved
Not a very good captain decision with known bad weather and 5 souls on board.
We don’t know what circumstances led them to be there so let’s not judge them. Pray for their souls instead.
Dave
We know the weather was real bad and the captain went out in it with 4 other souls.
As a mother of a young fisherman up there, my heart is being ripped from my soul right now. God be with you all in this time of terror, and if all you can do to help is to pray right now , then for gods sake let’s all start praying together! Right now!!!! For everybody!! Amen🙏
Oh no. Terrible news. Praying for a miracle.
You cant judge a captain from your armchair. I skippered those waters for years. pnw too. A storm can come up with no warning. God rest their souls. I pray for the families.
I agree we should never be armchair quarterbacks when a tragedy happens. Wait for the facts
Right on! I love your outlook. We need not play arm chair quarter back!
Just try and take the blinders off and look at big picture!
And 🙏
A storm can come up without warning? Interesting.
This storm moved across the Gulf of Alaska towards Hoonah in the last 48 hours with Gale force winds, spray, and snow.
But I am sure the NWS missed something?
Dan
If you’re really a boat captain then you know there are multiple weather sources to get real time information before motoring into a large storm.
What we don’t know is what condition was the boats mechanical systems in.
Fact remains the captain decides when the boat travels.
The men and women who are fishing know the risks that come with fishing and know that it is a bigger risk to fish in the winter. I personally would not have been trying to radio anyone if they had already rolled over, would have been with the life raft and had it deployed and operational for the crew to get on. But we will be praying for them all. They will be in our hearts and minds as we are taking our next adventure in fishing and we will continue to keep them and everyone else that has lost their lives at sea , memory alive, we will continue on and keep living our way of life and doing our best , rest in peace Wind walker., and crewmen!
We ask that our creator, Yahweh, send angels to protect those missing. That said, the image of the vessel shows it to be quite top heavy. It would be so much safer to have a vessel designed to right itself in any event.
Thoughts and prayers for all involved. Hoping for a miracle. Rest in peace.
As someone who grew up fishing in these waters – a 50’ seiner should have been okay in 6 foot seas. Stop placing judgement on captain when we don’t know full story. This size vessel going down in these seas is an indication that there was a mechanical problem or vessel iced up more than expected and was hit by a rouge wave.