Body of missing Coos Bay fisherman recovered in Alaska
COOS BAY, Ore (KOIN) — The body of a missing fisherman whose boat capsized off the Alaskan coast has been found, according to his family.
Jake Hannah, 22, was one of five men aboard the “Wind Walker” fishing vessel when it went down in stormy conditions near Juneau a week and a half ago.
Earlier this week, Alaska authorities found remains and debris on a remote beach near Hoonah.
Jake's mom, Carol, confirmed that one of the bodies recovered has since been positively identified as Jake
"I'm happy and sad at the same time. I'm happy my Jake has been found. I'm sad because the others are still out there," Carol said. "I have been in a fog all day."
As KOIN 6 first reported, Jake grew up in Coos Bay and retained strong ties to both the Oregon and Alaska fishing communities.
The U.S. Coast Guard responded to radio calls of a 50-foot boat flipped over early the morning of Sunday, Dec. 1st, in near blizzard conditions.
“When they went to turn around, they flipped over and the boat capsized,” Ben Martinez-Yates said in an interview last week.
Martinez-Yates and Hannah were longtime friends who both worked boats in Oregon and Alaska.
“Usually, this time of year up there, the weather gets really, really nasty. The weather is just unpredictable, and boats ice up and stuff happens,” said Martinez-Yates.
A GoFundMe page to help Jake’s family, including a young daughter, can be found here.
His mother says they're praying the other men are found soon.
"I just want to thank everybody for everything they've done to bring my Jake home," she said.