Woman dies after boat hit by waves capsizes near Sitka

SITKA, Alaska (KTUU) - A Sitka woman died after a boat capsized near Sitka on Sunday morning.

According to a press release from the Sitka Police Department, 51-year-old Deanna Moore was pulled out of the water by a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer and later pronounced dead at Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center.

Sitka police wrote that they received the report of a capsized 22-foot-long vessel in the keyhole by Three Entrance Bay at 8:25 a.m. Sunday morning. An emergency response vessel had already begun traveling toward a separate incident, but instead headed toward the capsized vessel and arrived at approximately 9 a.m.

“Witness account states the vessel had been hit by a wave, pushing it into a rock, where another wave overtook the vessel, further pushing it into the rocks and shore, sinking the back end of the vessel,” police wrote.

A good Samaritan vessel nearby pulled a 42-year-old man and a 56-year-old man — both from Sitka — out of the water, both of whom were transferred onto the police boat and then taken to Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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