Coast Guard suspends search for four people after Alaska charter boat sinks
The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday suspended a search for four people who went missing in the waters near Sitka, Alaska, after a charter boat was found sunk over the weekend.
One deceased individual was found Sunday evening, the Coast Guard said, and “the search for the four unaccounted for individuals was suspended at approximately 9:30 p.m. Monday.”
Kingfisher Charters, a Sitka-based company that offers Alaskan fishing adventures, called in Sunday to report that the boat, which had five people total aboard, was overdue. The 30-foot aluminum charter vessel, which had been last seen Sunday afternoon, was later found partially submerged roughly 10 miles west of Sitka.
Coast Guard crews searched roughly 825 square miles for more than 20 hours before calling off the efforts, according to the Homeland Security Department branch.
“Despite our best efforts and those of several partner agencies, we were not able to find the four remaining individuals,” Capt. Darwin Jensen of the Port Southeast Alaska said in the Coast Guard’s release.
“Suspending a search is never an easy decision. We extend our deepest sympathy to the loved ones during this difficult time. Our sincere thanks to community partners and the good Samaritan vessels who rapidly responded to help in the search,” Jensen said.
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