WIND WALKER

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Two bodies and debris found on the beach

Two bodies have been recovered amid debris believed to be from the 'Wind Walker' on Dec 9,, including buoys and other gear associated with the ship. The bodies were taken to the state medical examiner’s office for autopsies and positive identification. Relatives of the five crew members who were missing after the ship disappeared were notified that two bodies had been found. Authorities had traveled to a bay east of the community of Hoonah after a beachcomber reported finding the remains and debris, which included fishing gear and survival suits from the ship. Crews with dog teams searched about five miles of shoreline, but no other human remains were found, The site wasabout 12-13 miles southwest of the 'Wind Walker's last known position.

Crew of lost fishing vessel named, witness heard last mayday call

Paradigm Marine first mate Glenn Jahnke, a crew member of a tug which was near the 'Wind Walker', when it capsized close to Point Couverden described the mayday call that came over the radio on Dec 1 at around 12:09 a.m. “The radio went dead as he was giving the mayday, His mayday consisted of ‘mayday, mayday,’ then a pause and then another three maydays, Coast Guard responded. As I recall, ‘We’re on our side, taking in water and I have two people in the water”, Glenn Jahnke said, describing the voice over the radio attempting to answer the Coast Guard’s questions, such as a description of the vessel and the number of crew on board, Some family members of the crew have reported hearing that the men had communicated to the Coast Guard that they were making their way to a life raft. Jahnke said he never personally heard that information. Though he wasn’t able to confirm hearing the transmission, including details about a life raft, he said there was a possibility it was communicated through a shorter radio range than where he was located at the time. Search crews later recovered seven cold-water immersion suits and two strobe lights and something that appeared to be an un-inflated raft kind of caught up in a jumble of flotsam from the water. On Dec 3, the U.S. Coast Guard identified the crew as; Travis Kapp, Jacob Hannah, Alex Ireland, Emilio Celaya, and Michael Brown. The case was at the beginning stage of the investigation process and decisions were being made about what level of investigation would take place and who has ti be involved (Coast Guard District 17, potentially a Marine Board of Investigation at the Headquarters Level, or a National Transportation Safety Board - which are formal processes that involve public engagement and testimony to establish the facts surrounding the case and to bring information to public light. In the case of no survivors, the Coast Guard will rely on a variety of resources to gather information to determine what happened. These efforts would include interviewing surviving family members and other fishermen who may have communicated with the vessel; analyzing previous Coast Guard interactions with the vessel; and requesting technical assistance from Coast Guard specialty units or other agencies.

Search for five fishermen suspended

The US Coast Guard has suspended its search for the missing crew of the 'Wind Walker' on the morning of Dec 2 near Couverden Point, Alaska, pending the development of new information. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska watchstanders had received a mayday call at approximately 12:07 a.m. on VHF-FM channel 16 from the crew aboard the fishing vessel, reporting they were overturning.  Coast Guard crews searched for nearly 24 hours, covering more than 108 square nautical miles. Local weather conditions in the search area included heavy snow, winds between 45 and 60 mph and 6-foot seas. Involved in the search were:   - Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska  - Coast Guard Air Station Sitka  - Coast Guard Station Juneau  - Coast Guard Cutter 'Healy (WAGB 20') - Coast Guard Cutter 'Douglas Denman (WPC 1149)'  - Alaska Marine Highway System motor vessel Hubbard  Anyone with new information about this situation is requested to contact Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska watchstanders at 907-463-2980.