The U.S. Coast Guard has officially launched a district-level investigation into the sinking of the fishing vessel LILY JEAN, which occurred approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, and resulted in the loss of seven lives. Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Northeast District, Rear Adm. Michael Platt, authorized the…
Articles Posted in Vessel Sinkings
Seven Lost Following the Sinking of F/V Lily Jean
It is with great sadness that we report the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for the F/V LILY JEAN after more than 24 hours of effort by air and sea turned up no survivors. One body was recovered from the water. Six crew members remain missing and are…
Four Rescued from Sinking Vessel Near Grays Harbor, Washington
On Monday, November 17, 2025, four individuals were rescued near Grays Harbor, Washington, after their vessel began taking on water and was reportedly sinking. The crew of a nearby good Samaritan F/V LADY NANCY pulled the individuals from the water and performed CPR on one person who was unresponsive. The U.S.…
Tugboat Dominion Sinks in Bremerton Marina Prompting Major Environmental Response
The 130-foot TB DOMINION sank in Bremerton Marina on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, prompting an environmental response that has continued all week as crews work to contain diesel fuel contamination and assess ecological effects. The Washington State Department of Ecology was notified of the sinking on Wednesday afternoon, and the…
Tragedy at Sea: Surviving Two Weeks Adrift After Fishing Vessel Sinks
Alec Frydman was a young man pursuing a new path in life when he signed on for his first trip aboard a commercial fishing vessel. Tragically, that first voyage turned into a nightmare. In his powerful first-person account published in The Atlantic (June 2025), Alec recounts a violent storm that…
Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Captain After Fishing Vessel Sinks Near Westport
The sinking of the 68-foot fishing vessel F/V CAPTAIN RALEIGH near Grays Harbor, Washington, has sent a wave of grief through Pacific Northwest fishing communities. The tragic incident has left Newport captain Jon Stevenson, a seasoned mariner, missing. In the wake of this devastating event, an outpouring of support for…
Coast Guard Releases Names of Lost F/V Wind Walker Crew
The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 headquarters announced that the next of kin of the five individuals missing after the sinking of the F/V WIND WALKER have been notified. The agency also released the names of the missing crew members. GoFundMe accounts have been established for all five grieving families:…
F/V North American Sinks in Seattle
At approximately 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday May 14th, 2024, watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a call that the 91-foot F/V NORTH AMERICAN had partially sunk alongside a pier just east of the Ballard Bridge. The Seattle Fire Department responded and installed a containment boom around…
F/V Chief Joseph Sinks near Henry Island
Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified around 6 a.m. that the 48-foot F/V CHIEF JOSEPH, was in distress and taking on water. Aboard the vessel was one individual and a dog. The pair evacuated the vessel using a life raft. Sector watchstanders dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin…
What Caused the Sinking of the F/V Hotspur?
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has completed an inquiry into the 2022 sinking of the F/V HOTSPUR near Prince of Wales Island. The report concludes that an unnoticed leak in an unoccupied area likely caused the vessel to lose stability, capsize, and sink near Nunez Rocks. Bilge alarms failed…