Salvage operation begins for sunken fishing boat; captain still missing

A commercial salvage team is working on a plan to recover a sunken fishing boat near Grays Harbor.

On Friday night, the Coast Guard suspended a search for its missing captain.

Earlier in day, a lifeboat crew from Grays Harbor and an air crew from Astoria, Oregon rescued three others who were on board.

The 68-foot fishing boat known as the “Captain Raleigh” capsized at around 8:15 a.m. near the bar at the entrance to Grays Harbor.

The boat’s crew issued a distress call.

They stated they were taking on water and their onboard pumps were not keeping up with the flow of water.

The Coast Guard immediately issued an “Urgent Marine Information Broadcast” for any other ships in the area to try to make it to the foundering ship and help the crew.

Shortly after that information was broadcast over the airwaves, a good Samaritan vessel pulled up alongside the Captain Raleigh and offered to help with its dewatering pump.

Coast Guard officials also dispatched rescue boat crews from Station Grays Harbor and an air crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria.

A boat from Station Grays Harbor arrived at around 8:30 a.m.

But a few minutes after they got there, the Captain Raleigh sank.

Three crew members from the fishing boat had put on lifejackets, and ended up in the cold water.

But a Coast Guard boat crew immediately rescued them.

The fishing boat crew told rescuers the captain was still aboard the ship when it sank near the Grays Harbor bar entrance.

The Coast Guard actively searched for the captain for several hours, but called off the search at 8:40 p.m.

Rescuers transported the three crew members to Station Grays Harbor for evaluation by EMS.

Two more Coast Guard boats from Grays Harbor then joined the search efforts.

An air crew from Air Station Astoria arrived to begin searching from the air.

On Saturday, a dredging ship operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also arrived to help locate the sunken ship.

At around 11:45 a.m., they pinpointed the location of Captain Raleigh.

A U.S. Navy dive team brought in by Navy helicopter from Air Station Whidbey Island also deployed to the area of the sunken boat.

Divers were unable to access the wreck site until around 6 p.m.

They attempted to approach the vessel, now resting on ocean floor about 40 feet below the surface, but couldn’t get inside due to debris, poor visibility, and strong currents.

“This is a tragedy for our fishing communities,” Capt. Justin Noggle, commander of Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, said in a released statement.  “I’m thankful our Coast Guard crews were able to save the three crew members quickly, and our hearts are with the family and friends of everyone impacted by this tremendous loss.”

The Coast Guard is working with the Washington Department of Ecology to monitor pollution and mitigate impact to wildlife.

So far there’s no damage from fuel to the shoreline around Westport and Grays Harbor.

A commercial salvage team from Seattle is on scene developing a plan to recover the fishing vessel.