Coast Guard searching for man that fell off crab fishing boat
Jan 16, 2013, 10:07 AM | Updated: 10:11 am
The Coast Guard is searching for a crewman who fell overboard from a crab boat off the Washington coast.
Petty Officer Nathan Bradshaw says the 56-year-old man fell into the water about 1:30 a.m. from the Westport-based vessel Senja.
“They were reportedly setting crab pots and other members of the crew saw him fall overboard,” says Coast Guard spokesman George Degener.
The man was not wearing a life jacket when he landed in the 48-degree water.
“At that temperature it is hazardous to be in the water,” says Degener. “Any water temperature, even at 70 degrees, can cause a person’s body temperature to drop radically.”
The man went overboard about eight miles west of the mouth of the Queets River.
The Coast Guard is searching with a helicopter from Astoria and 47-foot boat from Westport.
Seas in the area are reportedly calm and visibility is good.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
