5 people reportedly missing after fishing boat capsizes amid heavy snow and wind in Alaska
By Karina Tsui and Robert Shackelford, CNN
(CNN) — Five people have been reported missing from a fishing boat that capsized in rough waters off the coast of southeastern Alaska, officials said.
The US Coast Guard received a mayday call at 12:10 a.m. Sunday from the crew aboard the 50-foot-long vessel, saying it was overturning, the guard said in a news release.
The Coast Guard asked for additional information but received no response, the release said.
People familiar with the vessel, called the Wind Walker, said there were five people aboard, but the number is not confirmed and could change, the Coast Guard said.
An emergency position-indicating radio beacon alert was also received and that located the vessel south of Point Couverden, near Juneau, in Icy Strait, the statement said.
The Coast Guard deployed both air and sea response teams to aid the search mission – launching an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a 45-foot Response Boat, according to the release.
The ferry vessel AMHS Hubbard overheard an urgent broadcast from the Coast Guard and arrived on the scene first, officials said.
Seven cold-water immersion suits and two strobe lights were found in the water of the search area, where responders faced six-foot waves, heavy snowfall and wind gusts up to 60 mph, the Coast Guard said.
The National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory for the Couverden Point area until midnight Sunday, warning winds could still gust over 50 mph and cause choppy waves.
The strong winds combined with heavy snow could reduce visibility to one mile or less, the service warned.
Winter storm warnings remain for the area until 3 a.m. Monday with additional snowfall of 5 to 8 inches possible. Temperatures will warm above freezing on Monday so the heavy snowfall will transition to a rain and snow mix before becoming all rainfall by Tuesday.
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