Articles Posted in Missing Crewmembers/persons

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Coast-Guard-Cutter-Orcas-300x169Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Bend received a mayday call on Friday, March 25th, 2022, just before midnight. The call came from Mike Morgan, master of the 32-foot F/V WHITE SWAN III. It was reported that the sinking vessel was found approximately 35 miles off the coast of Florence, Oregon, in the northern section of Heceta Bank.

A Station Siuslaw River Motor Lifeboat crew arrived first on the scene shortly after receiving the distress call to find a debris field. Additional teams were deployed to help in the search including:

  • Coast Guard Sector Columbia River MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew
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Coast-Guard-Grays-Harbor-300x150It is with great sadness that we report the search for a missing fisherman near Grays Harbor, Washington has been suspended.

Jason LaBrie, a 47-year-old from Oregon City, was reported overboard on Thursday, May 13th after crewmembers aboard the 26-foot F/V DEFIANCE II discovered he was missing. The crew was halibut fishing approximately 28 miles off the coast of Grays Harbor at the time of the incident.

F/V DEFIANCE II crew activated an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) at about 12:39 P.M. and within minutes, watchstanders at District 13 alerted all vessels in the area about the missing mariner. A 47-foot lifeboat and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter were deployed. Search-and-rescue crews were on the scene by 1:10 p.m.

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Cape_Cod-300x157It is with great sadness that we report that the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for three missing fishermen near Massachusetts.

An Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert from F/V LEONARDO was received by the U.S. Coast Guard District One command center on Sunday at 3:18 P.M. Personnel from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to investigate.

The F/V LEONARDO was carrying four crew members when it capsized and sank approximately 24 nautical miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard. Coast Guard crewmembers were able to rescue one of the four fishermen, Ernesto Santos, from a lifeboat.

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Bristol-Bay-300x199It is with great sadness that we report that the search for missing crewmember John Phillips, 59, of Juneau, Alaska, has been suspended. Phillips was reported missing after the F/V PACIFIC KNIGHT capsized and sank near Clark’s Point in Bristol Bay on Wednesday, July 25th.

Two other crewmembers were rescued from the water by good Samaritan vessel Amanda C, then transferred to Alaska State Troopers. Authorities continue to search for the missing crewmember and investigate the cause of the accident. It is unknown if Phillips was wearing a PFD.

“Ending a search is never easy, especially when working alongside so many people dedicated to finding the missing person,” said Coast Guard Lt. Stephan Nolan, the District 17 command duty officer, in a press release. “Our condolences go out to this man’s family and friends during this time of hardship.”

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USCG_C130_Hercules-300x200The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a fisherman who fell overboard in Ugashik Bay, 190 miles west of Kodiak, Alaska.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard 17th District Command Center received an urgent marine information broadcast on Thursday, July 19th at approximately 4:27p.m. from the F/V CAPE GREIG, that a crewmember had fallen overboard. An Air Station Kodiak Jayhawk aircrew was immediately dispatched to conduct a search in addition to a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules aircraft, which was diverted to the scene.

Nine good Samaritan vessels joined the search and covered over 13-square miles along the shoreline of Ugashik Bay as well as upriver, in an effort to locate the missing fisherman.

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https://www.maritimeinjurylawyersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/155/2018/02/U.S.-Coast-Guard-Helicopter.jpgThe U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 22-year-old crewman who was reported missing and presumed overboard, after an extensive search.

The Motor Vessel Challenge Prelude was about 110 miles south of Sand Point, Alaska when the call to command center watchstanders came in. At 2:20p.m. on Sunday, March 25th, it was reported that the crewmember had been missing since approximately 1:30p.m.

An emergency signal was announced aboard the oil tanker Challenge Prelude, and a full search of the vessel was conducted. The ship’s master took the vessel back to the location where the crewman had last been seen, and an inventory of all lifesaving and survival equipment was performed. All equipment was accounted for.

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https://www.maritimeinjurylawyersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/155/2017/07/destination-wreckage_1500573390732_8652393_ver1.0_640_360.jpg
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Vessel has just located the wreck of the missing F/V DESTINATION that sank in the Bering Sea this past February. The vessel and its six crew members were tragically lost in the capsize.

On the cold morning of Saturday, February 11, 2017, crew aboard the F/V DESTINATION was traveling to the fishing grounds and was just off St. George Island in the Pribilofs of the Bering Sea. Events that followed before the vessel ultimately sank are being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The crew did not have time to send a May Day—only an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon signal was set off by F/V DESTINATION crew. This allowed immediate responders to reach the destination, but only buoys, a life ring and other debris were found at the site.

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It is with great sadness that we report the suspension of the search for the six missing crew members of the F/V DESTINATION. The vessel is believed to have sunk on Saturday, February 11th in the Bering Sea. Weather at the time was reported as 30-mph winds with five to eight-foot seas and snowing. The air temperature was 21 degrees and sea temperature was 3o degrees.

The Coast Guard reported that the search covered more than 5,730 square nautical miles, and included 21 coordinated searches with a total of 69 aircraft and surface hours.

Watchstanders from the 17th District reported that an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert was received from the F/V DESTINATION early Saturday morning, and that Kodiak aircrews were deployed to initiate the search.

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FV-Destination-1-2-300x169The search in the Bering Sea continues for the 98’ F/V DESTINATION and six crewmembers, whose emergency beacon broadcast a signal at 7:15 am, February 11 from two miles northwest of St. George, Alaska. The Coast Guard’s Hercules airplane crew arrived at 10:15 am to begin searching, and two helicopters crews are also assisting. Two Good Samaritan fishing vessels, SILVER SPRAY AND BERING ROSE, also assisted with the search.

The emergency beacon, or electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), was found in a debris field with buoys, a life ring from the DESTINATION, tarps, and an oil sheen.

Residents in St. George are patrolling the shoreline for any signs of the crew or boat. St. George is a small Pribilof Island with a population of approximately 100.

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exitoTwo of five crewmembers are still missing after the 117’ EXITO sank 14 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor, Alaska on Tuesday evening, December 6.

The owner of the EXITO called the Anchorage Coast Guard around 9:40 pm to report that the ship was taking on water and the crew was preparing to abandon ship. A Kodiak Jayhawk helicopter aircrew and four Good Samaritan ships in the area responded, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Meredith Manning.

“One of the Good Samaritan vessels, the AFOGNAK STRAIT, located three EXITO crew members and took them aboard their vessel,” Manning said. “The three had abandoned ship together, and the other two were preparing to abandon ship.” The AFOGNAK STRAIT crew rushed the three to Dutch Harbor. The rescued crewmembers reported that one of the missing EXITO crew had put on an immersion suit and was last seen preparing to abandon ship.

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