Family, community still searching for missing crabber

LONG BEACH, Wash. (AP) — Family and members of the community are still searching for a missing crabber days after two others were rescued from a boat that sank near southwest Washington’s Willapa Bay, officials said.

The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that the community was continuing the search for Bryson Fitch, KOMO-TV reported.

On Sunday, the Coast Guard responded to a report that the crab boat Ethel May was sinking. A Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted two crew members from a life raft that evening during rough weather. A search for Fitch was suspended Monday evening.

The Coast Guard said search crews have found debris from the boat in Willapa Bay that indicates the vessel broke apart. Officials are investigating what caused the 46-foot (14-meter) boat to sink near the Willapa Bay entrance.

Fitch’s sister, Kelsea Broddy, told KGW-TV that her brother had made to the raft with the two others but that he disappeared when a large wave crashed over them.

“He’s still out there and we wanna bring him home and we need people to help us search,” Broddy said.

She said Fitch is married with three young children.

As of Wednesday, the names of the two survivors had not been released.

Dungeness crab is Washington state’s most valuable commercial seafood harvest.