Search Suspended For Missing Kodiak Fisherman
Friday, October 20 2006
Kodiak, AK – The search for a missing Kodiak fisherman has been suspended. Steve Esparza was a crewmember of the Ocean Challenger, which capsized Wednesday 60 miles south of Sand Point. The Coast Guard says it called off the search just before 8 p.m. last night.
The search covered approximately 1,730 square miles, and lasted 46 hours and 20 minutes, according to the Coast Guard. A C-130 and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak searched with the cutter Munro. The search turned up no sign of Esparza. No further searches are planned for the 26-year-old fisherman.
Two people are confirmed dead in the Ocean Challenger capsizing: Skipper David Hasslequist, age 51, of Hoonah, and crewmember Walter Foster, age 26, of Westport, Washington.
The one survivor, Kevin Ferrell, of Lynchburg, Virginia is in Anchorage working with Coast Guard investigators to provide an accurate account of the incident so investigators can determine the cause of the capsizing.
