Coast Guard rescues 1, continues search after fishing vessel floods 85 miles off Cape Flattery, WA

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 13th District Pacific Northwest Contact: 13th District Public Affairs Office: (206) 220-7237 After Hours: (206) 819-9154 13th District online newsroom

Coast Guard rescues 1, continues search after fishing vessel floods 85 miles off Cape Flattery, WA

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard rescued one fisherman from a lifeboat early Tuesday morning after a 66-foot commercial fishing boat began to take on water about 85 miles offshore of Cape Flattery with three people aboard. 

 

Watchstanders at multiple Coast Guard units received a VHF radio hail for help at about 2 a.m. from a person aboard the Canadian-based commercial fishing vessel Arctic Fox II reporting the vessel was taking on water and the three people aboard planned to abandon ship. 

 

The fisherman who hailed for help reported they were wearing survival suits.

 

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Sector Columbia River and an HC-27J Spartan medium-range surveillance search and rescue aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento in McClellan, California, deployed to search for the fishermen. 

 

Once on scene, Coast Guard aircrews immediately spotted a lifeboat with one survivor inside and hoisted him into the helicopter. 

 

Canadian search and rescue aircrews with The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria are expected to join the search effort later this morning.  

 

-USCG-