KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The Coast Guard Wednesday night suspended the search for five people who were missing following the sinking of the crabbing vessel Scandies Rose on Tuesday evening.
KMXT’s Maggie Wall has this report.
Click arrow to listen to report, or continue below to read it.
The Coast Guard Wednesday night suspended its search for five crew members who were lost when the Dutch Harbor based crabber Scandies Rose sank near Sutwik Island, off the Alaska Peninsula Tuesday night.
“The decision to suspend an active search and rescue case is never easy,” said 17-th Coast Guard District Commander Rear Adm. Matthew Bell in a press release announcing the end of the active search.
“Our deepest condolences to the friends and families impacted by this tragedy,” he said.
The Scandies Rose sank around 10 p.m. Tuesday with seven crew members aboard. Two were able to make it into a life raft and were hoisted to safety by an Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter.
The Coast Guard said the two survivors were taken to Providence Kodiak Island Hospital, where they are reported to be in stable condition.
Before it sank, the Scandies Rose was able to get a mayday message off on 4125 Khz high frequency radio, which was picked up by watchstanders at the Kodiak Communications Detachment.
Watchstanders immediately notified the Coast Guard Command Center, which initiated the launching of rescue aircraft from Air Station Kodiak.
In addition to the helicopter and an HC-130 airplane, the Coast Guard Cutter Mellon, which was on patrol in the Bering Sea, was diverted to the area.
According to the Coast Guard, the search spanned over 20 hours, 1,400 square miles and included the following Coast Guard assets:
• 4 MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews
• 2 HC-130 Hercules airplane crews
• Coast Guard Cutter Mellon (WHEC 717)
The Coast Guard said it suspended the search after exhausting all leads in the case and after careful consideration of survival probability. The search is suspended pending new information or developments.
The last known position of the Scandies Rose was approximately 170 miles southwest of Kodiak.
The Coast Guard reported the weather on scene as winds in excess of 40 mph, 15 to 20 foot seas, and one mile visibility.
