Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Crew After Alaska Fishing Vessel Capsizes
The U.S. Coast Guard has officially suspended its search for five individuals missing after the fishing vessel Wind Walker capsized in the Gulf of Alaska on Sunday. The search, which lasted nearly 24 hours and covered over 108 square nautical miles, ended without locating any survivors, despite exhaustive efforts from Coast Guard personnel and other agencies.
The distress call came in at 12:10 a.m. Sunday, alerting authorities that the 50-foot Wind Walker was overturning near Point Couverden, located on the southern tip of a small island in Southeast Alaska. The distress signal was confirmed by an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) registered to the vessel. In response, the Coast Guard quickly mobilized multiple resources, including an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka, a 45-foot Response Boat from Station Juneau, and the ferry vessel AMHS Hubbard, which arrived ahead of other search assets.
Petty Officer John Hightower, in a statement to KTUU on Sunday, explained that the Coast Guard Cutter Healy was the primary search platform due to its resilience in the harsh weather conditions. The rough seas, winds of 45 to 60 miles per hour, and heavy snow made the search particularly challenging. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, search crews recovered seven cold-water immersion suits and two strobe lights from the water, but there were no signs of the missing crew members.
As the search continued, reports on social media claiming that the missing individuals had been found surfaced, but the Coast Guard quickly addressed these as false. “We are aware of reports on social media claiming individuals from this incident have been located,” the Coast Guard said in a statement. “At this time, the CG has not confirmed these claims and is continuing search efforts.”
The Wind Walker had been overturned in an area notorious for its extreme weather, making the rescue mission even more perilous. Hightower emphasized that the EPIRB’s distress signal had provided the most recent information on the vessel’s location, but despite extensive search efforts, no passengers were located.
As the search neared its conclusion, Hightower explained that the Coast Guard was exhausting all available resources to locate the missing individuals. Ultimately, the decision to suspend the search was made, and Chief Warrant Officer James Koon, the search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska, expressed his sorrow for the loss of life. “Our collective hearts are with the friends and families of those who are experiencing the effects from this loss,” Koon said.
The Coast Guard has urged anyone with additional information regarding the incident or the missing individuals to contact Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska at (907) 463-2980. The search may be resumed if new information arises, but for now, the case remains a tragic loss for the families of those missing.
