Coast Guard suspends search for master of sunken fishing vessel off Oregon coast; 1 dead
NORTH BEND, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard said Sunday it has suspended the search for the master of a fishing vessel that sank in the Pacific Ocean, about 35 miles west of Florence. A female crew member has died.
The man, 68-year-old Mike Morgan, made a mayday call around midnight on Friday, reporting his 32-foot fishing vessel, White Swan III, was sinking, the Coast Guard said. A motor lifeboat crew arrived shortly after the initial distress call and located a debris field.
The body of a female crew member was recovered early Saturday. The search for Morgan was called off at 12:30 a.m. Sunday after crews searched a 232-square-mile area, using boats and aircraft.
The female victim's name has not been released.
Involved in the search were:
Coast Guard Sector North Bend;
Coast Guard Sector Columbia River MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews;
Air Facility Newport MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew;
Sector North Bend MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crews;
Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crews;
Coast Guard Station Umpqua River 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew;
110-foot Coast Guard Cutter Orcas;
13th Coast Guard District Command Center.
Pending further developments, the Coast Guard said it has suspended search efforts at this time.
"The decision to suspend an active search and rescue case is never easy, and it's only made after careful consideration of myriad factors," said Scott Giard, Coast Guard Search and Rescue Program Manager. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the families throughout this unimaginably challenging time.”
