An Alaska fishing adventure became a nightmare for a family of eight when disaster struck one of the two boats they chartered over the Memorial Day weekend, leaving three people dead and two more missing despite a desperate search over hundreds of square miles of ocean.

The tragedy tore the Tyau family apart: Two sisters and one of their husbands are dead, while the other害羞草研究所檚 partner and the boat captain remain missing off southeast Alaska four days after the boat was found partially submerged off an island.

Authorities suspended a more than 20-hour search covering 825 square miles (2,100 square kilometers) on Monday and have no plans to resume it.

The women害羞草研究所檚 parents, older brother and sister-in-law were on the other charter boat as part of a three-day trip to a destination fishery known for king salmon and groundfish.

The sisters and their sister-in-law didn害羞草研究所檛 like fishing but joined the vacation to spend more time with a family that was usually split between Hawaii and Los Angeles.

害羞草研究所淚t was just supposed to be a simple family get-together for eight of us, since we haven害羞草研究所檛 been together in the same spot for so long,害羞草研究所� Michael Tyau, the older brother, told The Associated Press on Thursday. 害羞草研究所淔or it to turn out like this is really devastating.害羞草研究所�

The Tyau siblings 害羞草研究所� Michael, Brandi and Danielle 害羞草研究所� grew up fishing in Hawaii with their parents. Michael Tyau said his sisters hated being cold and wet but would endure it for their water-loving parents and later their partners.

Brandi Tyau害羞草研究所檚 longtime partner, Robert Solis 害羞草研究所� a Navy diver-turned-private investigator who was stationed in Hawaii when they met decades ago 害羞草研究所� was someone for whom 害羞草研究所� ocean really was his life,害羞草研究所� one of Solis害羞草研究所� brothers said.

So when the Tyau siblings害羞草研究所� mother suggested a family trip last year, a fishing vacation in the Sitka Sound won out.

害羞草研究所淢y sisters, I think, reluctantly agreed,害羞草研究所� Michael Tyau said.

He and his wife flew from Los Angeles to Alaska on Thursday with Brandi Tyau, 56, and Solis, 61. They met up with their parents, sister Danielle Agcaoili, 53, and her husband, 57-year-old Maury Agcaoili, all Hawaii residents.

The whole family stayed in a lodge owned by charter boat company Kingfisher Charters in Sitka. The small port city with a backdrop of a stunning volcanic mountain is located on the shore of Baranof Island, which is part of a cluster of islands dripping off Alaska害羞草研究所檚 southeast coastline.

The area is a 害羞草研究所減remier fishing destination害羞草研究所� for tourists because the many bays and passageways created by the islands provide protection from the wind and waves on days when the open sea is too rough, Kingfisher Charters says on its website.

Forrest Braden, executive director of the Southeast Alaska Guides Organization, said anglers often stay for multiple days on trips to the region.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 more of a fishing-themed trip for a lot of people, rather than being one of a variety of activities that they do,害羞草研究所� he said.

The boats the Tyau clan chartered, named the Pockets and the Awakin, set out Friday amid rough conditions. Michael Tyau said his sisters and wife spent the day害羞草研究所檚 voyage seasick in the two boats害羞草研究所� cabins and skipped Saturday害羞草研究所檚 trip to recover on land.

When Sunday dawned, their last vacation day before Monday flights home, the women rejoined the boats.

Danielle Agcaoili said 害羞草研究所渟he didn害羞草研究所檛 want to let anybody down,害羞草研究所� Michael Tyau recalled through tears.

The boat captains opted for different fishing spots. Aboard the Pockets, Michael Tyau said he 害羞草研究所渋n no way felt in jeopardy, like this wasn害羞草研究所檛 safe for us to fish in.害羞草研究所�

The Pockets returned to the lodge Sunday evening, but the family began worrying when Brandi Tyau, Danielle Agcaoili, Maury Agcaoili and Solis didn害羞草研究所檛 respond to text messages and never arrived for dinner.

The Awakin hadn害羞草研究所檛 come back, the charter company told Michael Tyau, and they lost radio contact with the captain, 32-year-old Morgan Robidou.

What happened aboard the Awakin on Sunday remains unclear. Efforts to recover the 30-foot (9-meter) aluminum vessel have been hampered by rough seas and strong winds.

The bodies of Brandi Tyau and Danielle Agcaoili were found inside the cabin. Maury Agcaoili害羞草研究所檚 body was discovered near the boat. Solis and Robidou were still considered missing Thursday.

The boat was last seen Sunday afternoon near Sitka, authorities said, but around 7 p.m. Sunday was found partially submerged off Low Island, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Sitka.

Coast Guard investigators are working to determine the timeline and cause of the incident. The area was experiencing 6-foot to 11-foot (1.8- to 3.35-meter) waves, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.

Kingfisher Charters declined to respond to questions outside a statement released Wednesday saying the company is 害羞草研究所渄evastated by the loss of the guests and captain of the Awakin害羞草研究所� and is fully cooperating with an investigation it hopes 害羞草研究所渇urnishes answers to the questions as to how it occurred.害羞草研究所�

For the Tyau family, it害羞草研究所檚 too late. The deaths of Brandi Tyau, the reserved middle child who was a calming influence on Solis, and Danielle Agcaoili, the happy-go-lucky baby of the family who was often called 害羞草研究所淒ani,害羞草研究所� has been devastating.

Brandi Tyau and Solis leave behind one son together, as well as Solis害羞草研究所� three sons from a previous relationship. The Agcaoilis have two children, one of whom just graduated from high school.

The family害羞草研究所檚 vacation was meant for them to enjoy a holiday weekend away and bridge the gap between their homes in Hawaii and Los Angeles.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think all eight of us have been together in over 10 years,害羞草研究所� Michael Tyau said.

Now, only four are left.

Stefanie Dazio And Becky Bohrer, The Associated Press

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