Couple dead, 1 rescued after crabbing boat capsizes near Florence

FLORENCE, Ore. (AP) — A well-known couple who ran a crabbing business in Florence died and one person was rescued after a fishing boat sank early Monday near the coastal community.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Amber and Kyle Novelli, who operated Novelli’s Crab and Seafood in Florence, died after their boat hit a jetty early Monday.

Emergency crews received a distress call from the captain of the sinking fishing boat around 2 a.m., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The captain said everyone aboard was abandoning ship.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew and local emergency responders rescued one man around 3 a.m. The Coast Guard says the two others on board were found unresponsive by 7 a.m.

Amber and Kyle Novelli were the only active commercial crabbers who lived and worked in Florence, according to a 2019 profile of the couple by the Siuslaw News. In the article, Amber discussed the uncertainty and danger of crabbing.

A fundraising page for the family is linked on the Facebook page for the business.