Coast Guard suspends search for missing Alaska fishermen amid heavy snow and wind

The Coast Guard faced "very rough conditions" during the search, with heavy snow and strong winds creating ocean swells over six feet. Despite these efforts, there has been no sign of the crew.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday that it has suspended its search for five people following the capsizing of a commercial fishing boat in southeast Alaska. The decision comes after nearly 24 hours of intensive search efforts.

The 50-foot fishing vessel, Wind Walker, issued a Mayday call early Sunday morning, reporting that it was overturning in waters just south of Couverden Point. The area was experiencing severe weather conditions, including heavy snow, winds up to 60 mph, and 6-foot seas.

"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 Coast Guard search and rescue mission coordinator, in a statement.

The Coast Guard deployed boats and helicopters to search over 108 nautical square miles but found no sign of the vessel or its crew. Seven empty cold-water immersion suits and two strobe lights were discovered in the water, indicating the dire circumstances faced by those on board.

The Wind Walker, based in Sitka, made its distress call at 12:10 a.m. Sunday, stating that the vessel was overturning. Despite attempts by Coast Guard watchstanders to gather more information, no further communication was received. The distress call was initially picked up by the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry Hubbard, which was the first to arrive at the scene.

In addition to the Mayday call, an emergency position-indicating radio beacon alert registered to the vessel was also received, originating just south of Couverden Point in Icy Strait, an island in Alaska's Haines Borough, southwest of Juneau.

The Coast Guard faced "very rough conditions" during the search, with heavy snow and strong winds creating ocean swells over 6 feet. Despite these efforts, there has been no sign of the crew.

The number of passengers on the Wind Walker was estimated to be five based on information from people familiar with the vessel, but this figure has not been officially confirmed.

Good Samaritans and the state ferry assisted the Coast Guard in the search. Maritime emergencies in Alaska often prompt large responses from local residents who are familiar with the victims and the challenging conditions of the area.

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