The Coast Guard said Monday afternoon that it suspended its search Monday morning for five people after their fishing boat reportedly capsized near Pt. Couverden Point in northern Southeast Alaska, pending the development of new information.
Coast Guard crews searched for nearly 24 hours, covering more than 108 square nautical miles. Survival suits were found empty and the life raft from the vessel was found, but may not have been inflated.
“We stand in sorrow and solidarity with the friends and family of the people we were not able to find over the past 24 hours,” said Chief Warrant Officer James Koon, a search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska. “I am deeply grateful for the swiftness of our crews and other search assets who came together to amplify our efforts and completely saturate our search areas. Our collective hearts are with the friends and families of the who are experiencing the effects from this loss.”
Involved in the search were:
- Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska
- Coast Guard Air Station Sitka
- Coast Guard Station Juneau
- Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20)
- Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman (WPC 1149)
- Alaska Marine Highway System motor vessel Hubbard, which was first on the scene.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska watchstanders received the mayday call at approximately 12:07 a.m. on VHF-FM channel 16 from the crew aboard the fishing vessel Wind Walker reporting they were overturning. The watchstanders attempted to get more information but no more communication was made by the Wind Walker, which was battling six-foot seas, heavy winds snow and possible icing conditions in frigid temperatures of -8 degrees F.
The Wind Walker is based out of Sitka and is well known in the fishing community.
The search area was 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.
Anyone with new information about this situation is requested to contact Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska watchstanders at 907-463-2980.
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea.
Whidbey, that was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. First post of yours that I really, really liked.
Reminds me of perfect storm song.
Having been around that corner a 1000 times in all kinds of Wx this breaks my heart. That was a NO GO situation.
So sad, but like many accidents, very preventable. We had weather warnings about extreme weather throughout the Panhandle. High winds, snow, freezing spray…perhaps they had their reasons.
Yes the captains fault.
4 souls he was responsible for.
Rest in peace. Now these mariners sail with god.
She is merciless, the cold dark sea.
A very harsh mistress is she.
She demands our respect.
No quarter should we expect.
With her, we cannot bargain.
She gives very little margin.
For those putting her to the test,
She, often as not, sends them to rest.
The greed over a fish can be deadly RIP crew