United States: An active search is happening after the fishing boat Wind Walker capsized early Sunday near Point Couverden, an island in Alaska. The Coast Guard and good Samaritans are looking for survivors.
At 12:10 a.m., a distress call was made saying the 50-foot fishing boat was overturning. The boat’s emergency beacon (EPIRB) was activated, helping rescuers find the signal just south of Point Couverden in Icy Strait.
As reported by the Alaskasnewssource, Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska broadcasted an urgent marine information broadcast, Sector personnel-initiated launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Sitka and 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Juneau. The ferry vessel AMHS Hubbard also responded and was on scene when other search assets.
Petty Officer John Hightower talked with News Source Sunday about developments and said that at the moment, their principal search vessel remains the Coast Guard Cutter Healy.
“They are the most resilient population in terms of weather in that region.” We’ve been cycling out crews from closer stations,” Hightower said over the phone. “Of course, you know with their smaller boats the water here can get really rough and it is out there with the boats.”
Emergency teams were able to find seven cold-water immersion suits and a pair of strobe lights in the water although no signs of the lost persons have been reported. Journal articles show it had five passengers on board, however, this is still yet to be confirmed.
Hightower has described the reports as “baseless online rumors” and so far, no passengers have been recovered.
U.S. Coast Guard posted to X Sunday addressing the same false claims, saying: “We are aware of Social Media posts suggesting people from this incident have been found. However, the organizations that made these assertions have not been corroborated by the CG and the search is still under way.
Hightower said that the last known position was given by the distress signal from EPIRB is the last known position and the crews are working accordingly. But even crew members were able to find the actual, physical beacon indicating their position or the presence of passengers, the latter remained missing.
Freezing temperature, thick snow restricting visibility, gale force wind of between 45 to 60 mph and giant waves of up to six feet have made search mission difficult. Hightower said that late on Sunday the search was to continue until night and more specifically that the Search and Rescue command would be the one to decide to stop the search.
Anyone with this information about the missing of the individuals for the incident to urged to contact the coast Guard Sector and the Southeast Alaska at the contact number 907463 2980.