Redmond man missing at sea after fall from boat
The search for a missing Redmond man has been called off in the Bering Sea. Eric Eder was on the 87-foot fishing vessel Seeker Wednesday morning when he fell overboard 10 miles north of Alaska’s Unimak Island.
The Coast Guard and boats nearby began searching for the 43-year-old Eder, but after 10 hours and 64 square miles, called it off late Wednesday night.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the missing man,” said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Chris Cole, of the 17th District command center. “The decision to end a search is one of the most difficult choices to make as a search and rescue controller.”
Eder’s sister, Shelly Heim, told NewsChannel 21 Friday evening that Eric loved fishing, and cared deeply for the people around him. He grew up in Waldport but recently moved to Redmond with his family and was building a home at Crooked River Ranch.
“Anybody that you would talk to would tell you that he never said a bad word about anybody,” Heim said. “He always did the right thing.”
After 17 years on crab fishing boats in Alaska, he decided to scale back to spend more time with his wife and family.
“Everybody is in quite a state of shock,” Heim said.
Eder leaves behind his wife Adrianne, and two sons who are 5 years old and just 5 weeks old.
“We’re trying not to look too far ahead in the future and are focusing on helping Adrianne with the kids at this time and being with her and surrounding her with our love and support,” Heim said.
On Saturday, the city of Newport will hold its annual Blessing of the Fleet ahead of the fishing season. It’s a ritual that happens every year. The close-knit community also will be saying a prayer for a man who died, they say, doing what he loved.
A memorial service for Eder also has been planned in Central Oregon. It will take place Saturday March 22nd at Eagle Crest Resort.
For more information on the memorial, click here. The family asks those NOT attending to not like the Facebook page, as they are using it to get a count of how many people will be attending.
