Four members of a Texas family on vacation in Alaska remain missing after their boat capsized, and the US Coast Guard suspended the search and rescue efforts Sunday night.
Chief Petty Officer Travis Magee, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard, said watchstanders received a call on Saturday that a boat approximately 28 feet long was taking on water about 14 nautical miles west of Homer.
Good Samaritans aboard another vessel called The Salty Sea were able to rescue four of the eight people on the boat roughly 15 minutes after the Coast Guard sent out a broadcast notice.
Guardsmen scoured the area using an aircraft and helicopter, along with other boats, to search for the remaining four that were still missing.
Alaska State Troopers and others also assisted in the search.
Magee told Alaska Public that the search was called off about 24 hours later, after taking several factors into consideration, such as weather and environmental conditions and the number of vessels searching the area.
"After considering all those different factors and the fact that the Coast Guard was able to saturate the search area with search assets and personnel, made the decision to suspend the search for the four missing people," he said.
"And that's not a decision that comes lightly."
The missing boaters were identified as David, Mary, Colton, and Brantley Maynard of Troy, Texas.
A GoFundMe campaign established to support the family with the unforeseen costs has so far accumulated approximately $9,500.
