Coast Guard searches for survivors of capsized fishing boat in southeast Alaska

Updated: 3 Hours ago Published: 1 A day ago

The U.S. Coast Guard continued searching Monday morning for several missing people who were aboard a commercial fishing boat that capsized in the Icy Strait southwest of Juneau.

According to “reports from people familiar with those on board the vessel,” five people were believed to be on board, a Coast Guard statement said. “This number has not been confirmed and is subject to change pending new information.”

According to the Coast Guard, as of 8 p.m. Sunday, searchers had found cold water safety equipment and other emergency items, but no people. The Coast Guard reported heavy snow and winds of up to 60 miles per hour in the area earlier in the day, as well as swells of 6 feet.

Two Coast Guard cutters continued the search Monday morning, a spokesman said.

At about 12:10 a.m. Sunday, the crew of the approximately 50-foot-long vessel Wind Walker reported in a mayday call received by Coast Guard watchstanders in southeast Alaska that “they were tipping over,” the Coast Guard said.

“Observers attempted to gather additional information but received no response,” the Coast Guard said in its statement.

According to the Coast Guard, they received an emergency radio beacon alert registered to the Wind Walker with location information coming from Icy Strait south of Point Couverden.

Observers issued an urgent message and dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Sitka and a 45-foot response boat from Juneau to search the area, the Coast Guard said.

The Alaska Marine Highway System ferry Hubbard, which was the first to arrive at the scene, heard the broadcast and offered to help, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said that “seven cold-water diving suits and two strobe lights were found in the water in the search area” as emergency responders continued to search for the missing people.

As claims were made on social media that people involved in the capsizing had been found, the Coast Guard said on Sunday afternoon that it had not confirmed those reports and that it was continuing its efforts and had asked anyone with information about the search to call 907 -463 to call -2980.

According to a federal database, the Wind Walker’s port of call is Sitka.

On Sunday night, the Coast Guard Cutter Healy was on scene and the Cutter Douglas Denman was en route to assist, the Coast Guard said.

• • •