Thursday night the Coast Guard suspended its search for a fisherman who went overboard about 90 miles southwest of Kodiak on Thursday morning.
At about 11 a.m. Thursday the Coast Guard received a report that a man had become tangled in crab pot ropes and fallen overboard from the Fishing Vessel Flying Ocean.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules airplane deployed from Air Station Kodiak and searched the area along with the Coast Guard Cutter Hickory. Petty officer 1st class David Mosley said they searched an area of about 550 square miles from different angles.
Near the end of the search, around sunset one of the helicopters experienced mechanical difficulties and was forced to make an emergency landing on Sitkinak beach. No one was injured.
The crews decided to suspend the search at 9:37 p.m.
Mosley says they will re-assume the search if they receive any more information.
In accordance with Coast Guard policy, the identity of the fisherman will not be released for 24 hours after the next of kin is notified.
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Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her at ahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Anne here.
