Missing Alaska Fishermen Update: Coast Guard Suspend Search Amid Harsh Weather Conditions

The U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday evening suspended a search for the five commercial fishermen of a crabbing vessel that sank Tuesday in the Gulf of Alaska. The Coast Guard said the fishermen are believed to be dead and ended their search and rescue operation amid difficult weather conditions.

"The decision to suspend an active search and rescue case is never easy, and it's only made after careful consideration of a myriad of factors,” Coast Guard Rear Adm. Matthew Bell said in a statement. "Our deepest condolences to the friends and families impacted by this tragedy."

The Scandies Rose, a 130-foot crab fishing ship from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, capsized and sank at about 10 p.m. Tuesday near Sutwik Island. The ship was loaded with crab pots and headed to the Bering Sea as part of the winter fishing season. Rescue crews from Coast Guard Station Kodiak were dispatched shortly after and began scanning the surrounding area for survivors.

There were seven crew members on the vessel. Two male crewmates, ages 38 and 34, were rescued after spending four hours on a life raft, according to The Anchorage Daily News. The two men, who were airlifted to safety, suffered from hypothermia but reportedly were in good spirits.

“Pretty much every variable weighed against both parties,” HC-130 Hercules pilot Lt. Kevin Knaup said. “Everything was working against being able to find these two people.”

Rescue efforts continued for nearly 20-hours on Wednesday as crews searched over 1,400 square miles, despite frigid weather and winds reaching 60 mph. Temperatures dipped to single digits with the windchill.

Four Jayhawk helicopters, two airplanes and a Coast Guard cutter were deployed in the search, according to the Associated Press.