ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 4, 2024 (Gephardt Daily — A Utah man and four others are missing after their fishing boat capsized early Sunday morning off Couverden Point, Alaska, about 24 miles southwest of Juneau.
According to a press release by the U.S. Coast Guard, the search for the missing fishermen was suspended Monday morning, one day after they received a mayday call that the vessel was overturning.
“Coast Guard crews searched for nearly 24 hours, covering more than 108 square nautical miles,” the USCG said.
Among those aboard the commercial fishing vessel Wind Walker was Alex Zamantakis, 28, who grew up in Magna.
A GoFundMe account set up by family members said funds will go Zamantakis’ girlfriend and their six-month-old son, Alex.
“We stand in sorrow and solidarity with the friends and family of the people we were not able to find over the past 24 hours,” said Chief Warrant Officer James Koon, a search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska.
“I am deeply grateful for the swiftness of our crews and other search assets who came together to amplify our efforts and completely saturate our search areas. Our collective hearts are with the friends and families of those who are experiencing the effects from this loss.”
The USCG press release said U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska watchstanders received the mayday call [Sunday] at approximately 12:07 a.m. from members saying the fishing vessel was in peril.
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.
