Coast Guard searches for missing mariner near Port Angeles, WA

News Release

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

Coast Guard searches for missing mariner near Port Angeles, WA

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard began a search Thursday evening for a 75-year-old man on a 14-foot skiff boat after being reported missing near Port Angeles. 

The man was reported to be missing by his friend who lost sight of his fishing vessel and was overdue to return to shore.

The mariner was supposed to be fishing near his friends in a separate boat on a trip from Freshwater Bay to Crescent Bay Buoy 2 and back to Freshwater Bay. The mariner’s friends last talked to him via cell phone at 3:26 p.m. and about 10 minutes later saw him approximately a half mile west of the Crescent Bay Buoy 2 traveling on his kicker motor westward. The reporting party stated that after this, they lost sight of their friend. The reporting party stated the overdue mariner’s main engine was not working earlier in the day and he had been using his kicker to maneuver. The mariner also reportedly had a large amount of fishing gear and other general items on his vessel.

Watchstanders at the 13th Coast Guard District command center were notified at 6:40 p.m. An urgent marine information broadcast was issued as an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles, and a small boat crew from Station Port Angeles were directed to respond and on scene. 

Multiple partner agencies and a rotation of Coast Guard crews participated in the coordinated search operations, including the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Vector and crew, as well as Naval Station Whidbey Island helicopter crews.

 Units involved in the search:

• Coast Guard Cutter Swordfish and crew 
• Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-60 Jayhawk crews
• Coast Guard Station Port Angeles 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crews
• Canadian Coast Guard Ship Vector and crew
• U.S. Navy SH-60 Seahawk crew

The overdue mariner had no reported medical problems and was reported by his wife to most likely have had food and water onboard as well as life jackets. There were reportedly no VHF radios on board the boats of both the missing man and his friend.

The Coast Guard urges mariners to have a reliable source of communication such as a VHF-FM marine-band radio and to always wear a life jacket in case of an emergency.

-USCG-