By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Two hunters were found safe and sound today after spending an unexpected night out near Fish Bay, the Sitka Fire Department reports.
An air and ground search was launched at 8 a.m. today in response to a satellite text message from others in their hunting party reporting they were overdue in returning to their boats. The missing pair were spotted around noon by a Coast Guard helicopter crew, who said they weren’t in need of assistance.
Alaska State Troopers were the lead agency in the search, which included the Sitka Fire Department search and rescue team as well as a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka.
The fire department said four hunters had left Sunday in three boats headed to Fish Bay, 12 miles northeast of town. Around 5 p.m. Monday one pair communicated via an inReach satellite text message system that they had bagged three deer, and were headed back to the boats, the fire department said.
They did not arrive as expected, and a member of the other team texted his wife this morning, also via inReach, to report the men were overdue.
After receiving that information the fire department and the Troopers initiated the search.
Two SAR volunteers and a trooper went out to Fish Bay on the troopers’ boat. Three other searchers and a search dog were preparing to leave in the Forest Service boat when the news was received that the men were found, a SAR spokesman said.
A total of 14 responders from the Fire Department were involved in the case.
The Coast Guard said the helicopter crew that found the men reported they were “not in distress, and not in need of assistance.”
