4 die, 1 missing as fishing boat sinks

DUTCH HARBOR, Alaska, March 23 (UPI) -- Four crew members died and a fifth was missing Sunday when their fishing boat sank off the coast of Alaska, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard officials said 42 other crew members of the Alaska Ranger were rescued by two helicopters, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. The survivors were being taken to Dutch Harbor.

"Four crew members were reported deceased, and one is still missing," Coast Guard Lt. Eric Eggan told CBC News from Juneau Sunday afternoon.

The vessel, operating in 6-8-foot seas and 30 mph winds, began taking in water about 3 a.m., the CBC reported.

The flooding began after crew members lost control of the ship's rudder about 120 miles off the Alaskan coast and an immediate evacuation to life rafts began, the Coast Guard said.

The Seattle Times reported the vessel is owned by the Fishing Company of Alaska, which operates out of Seattle. Another one of the company's boats was dispatched to help in the ongoing rescue efforts, the newspaper added.