The U.S. Coast Guard has released no new information regarding the search for a seiner which reportedly capsized in heavy weather near Hoonah early Sunday morning.
The Coast Guard received a mayday call shortly after midnight on Dec. 1 from the Wind Walker, a 52-foot seiner based in Sitka, when the crew reported that their boat was overturning.
Attempts by the Coast Guard to gather additional information from the crew over the radio failed. Soon after, an emergency position-indicating radio beacon registered to the Wind Walker was detected just south of Point Couverden, in Icy Strait.
This type of device – called an EPIRB – is attached to the cabin of a boat, and releases automatically when submerged.
The state ferry Hubbard was in the vicinity and overheard the mayday, and diverted to Wind Walker’s last reported location to begin the search. A helicopter from Air Station Sitka and a 45-foot medium-response boat from Coast Guard Station Juneau arrived and joined the Hubbard, as did the Coast Guard cutter Healy.
The Coast Guard believes five crew were on board the Wind Walker when it capsized. Reports on social media claiming that some of the victims had been found were incorrect: So far, only seven survival suits and two strobe lights have been located in the water in the search area.
Local weather conditions in Icy Strait early Sunday morning included heavy snow, 45 to 60 mile-per-hour winds, and 6-foot seas.