Five people disappeared in the wreck of a fishing boat in Alaska, amid heavy snowfall and wind

() – Five people were reported missing after a fishing boat capsized in rough waters off Alaska’s southeast coast, authorities said.

The U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call at 12:10 a.m. Sunday from the crew aboard the 50-foot-long vessel, saying it was capsizing, the station said. guard in a press release.

The Coast Guard requested additional information but received no response, according to the statement.

People familiar with the boat, called the Wind Walker, said there were five people on board, but the number is unconfirmed and could change, the Coast Guard said.

An emergency position indicating radio beacon alert was also received that located the vessel south of Point Couverden, near Juneau, in the Icy Strait, according to the statement.

The Coast Guard deployed air and sea response teams to assist in the search mission, launching an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a 13-meter response boat, according to the statement.

The AMHS Hubbard ferry heard an urgent Coast Guard transmission and arrived on the scene first, officials said.

Seven cold water immersion suits and two strobe lights were found in the water of the search area, where rescuers faced six-foot waves, heavy snowfall and wind gusts of up to 60 mph, the Coast Guard said.

The National Weather Service issued a small boat advisory in the Couverden Point area until midnight Sunday, warning that winds could still gust over 80 km/h and cause rough waves.

Strong winds combined with heavy snow could reduce visibility to one kilometer or less, the service warned.

Winter storm warnings remain in place for the area until 3:00 a.m. Monday, with the possibility of additional snowfall of 12 to 20 centimeters. Temperatures will rise above freezing on Monday, so heavy snow will turn into a rain-snow mix before turning to rain this Tuesday.