This past spring, NOAA Ship Fairweather conducted an underwater survey in Alaska at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard. The survey supported the Coast Guard’s efforts to locate the wreckage of the F/V Wind Walker, which sank on Dec. 1, 2024 with five people aboard in the vicinity of Point Couverden, Alaska.
NOAA regularly receives requests from other agencies to provide ocean mapping experts and expertise in recovery efforts. “We always want to say yes to these kinds of requests when we can,” said Captain Sam Greenaway, chief of the Hydrographic Survey Division in NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, the team responsible for planning ocean mapping efforts. “NOAA Corps officers and mapping experts are trained to help in these situations and we were able to make this a priority.”
The officers and crew aboard Fairweather regularly work in Alaska waters, collecting critical data used to update NOAA’s nautical charts and are uniquely equipped with the expertise and capability to assist on this mission. The team is not only skilled at operating the equipment (typically a multibeam sonar), but also choosing the right equipment and methods for the task. They are able to execute the survey safely, and deliver the data following rigorous, qualified processing to ensure it supports safe navigation.
While the Coast Guard had a general idea of the vessel’s location from Coast Guard Cutter Healy’s initial search of the area soon after the sinking, the Fairweather crew was able to find what is likely the precise location. A formal marine safety investigation by Coast Guard District 17 is ongoing.