The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday suspended its search for three people who remain missing after their boat capsized near Seward. A fourth person who was on the boat was found dead, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Troopers identified the individual as 29-year-old Hayden Green from Soldotna. Troopers have also identified two of the missing boaters as 60-year-old Seward resident Joshua Green and 29-year-old Anchorage resident Caleb Green. Troopers said the third missing boater is an adult female whose identity will be made public after next of kin is notified.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones impacted by this tragedy,” Cmdr. Chris Svencer, the Coast Guard’s mission coordinator for the search, said in a statement.
Troopers said the group left Seward on Tuesday in a 22-foot Hewestcraft boat “but could not return to Seward due to poor sea conditions and weather.” Coast Guard watchstanders received a distress call from the boat at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday reporting it was taking on water, according to troopers.
The Coast Guard sent an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Kodiak to the site, Lt. Cmdr. Mike Salerno said in a prepared statement. It arrived around 9:50 a.m. Wednesday.
“They located the capsized vessel, and a nearby good Samaritan arrived on scene as well and recovered one unresponsive individual with no signs of life from the water,” he said.
The good Samaritan vessel, Skana, took the person to Seward where they were transferred to emergency medical care. The Coast Guard also sent an HC-130 Hercules airplane and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Naushon to the site to search for the remaining people.
Salerno said he could not immediately provide the reason for suspending the search.
In its statement, the Coast Guard said crews had searched about 95 square miles for a combined nine hours. There were 20 mph winds with gusts up to 30 mph, 12-foot seas and 10-mile visibility during the incident.
According to a dispatch from state troopers Thursday afternoon, the Alaska Dive, Search, Rescue and Recovery Team, a non-profit organization, is working to locate the three missing people.
This story has been updated.
