A Coast Guard MH-60 crew recovered a deceased fishermen from the scene around 1 p.m. A Good Samaritan, fishing vessel Courageous, reported recovering a deceased fisherman, an empty survival suit and life ring from the Katmai at approximately 4 p.m. Another Good Samaritan, fishing vessel Patricia Lee, reported recovering a deceased fisherman at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Earlier today the Coast Guard launched two C-130 air planes and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak in response to an electronic position indicating radio beacon signal from the fishing vessel Katmai received at approximately 1 a.m. this morning.
The first C-130 arrived on scene at 8:20 a.m. and dropped two life rafts in the vicinity of two strobe lights spotted near the position of the EPIRB signal.
An MH-60 Jayhawk arrived on scene at approximately 11 a.m. and recovered a deceased fisherman in a survival suit belonging to the Katmai. A partially deflated life raft was also spotted.
The Air National Guard is also involved in the search with a C-130 search plane and a Blackhawk helicopter.
The Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet has diverted while underway near Dutch Harbor, Alaska to the search area and has an estimated time of arrival of 10 p.m. Thursday.
On scene weather is 17-foot seas, 50-knot winds from the north, snow and rain with 3 miles of visibility.
The Katmai is a 93-foot fishing vessel homeported in Kodiak, Alaska.
The circumstances regarding this incident are being investigated.
