Coast Guard rescues 5 fishermen from flooding fishing vessel off Washington coast

NEAH BAY, Wash. — Authorities say five fishermen who had to abandon ship because of flooding were rescued off the Washington coast west of Cape Alava.

The Coast Guard says watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report Wednesday afternoon of a flooding 87-foot fishing vessel.

The Coast Guard says with all the dewatering pumps running the crew was unable to keep up with the rising water.



Multiple boats and a Coast Guard helicopter responded while the fishermen reported that they had survival suits on, life jackets and the captain had put his cellphone in a plastic bag to keep it dry as water had risen in the engine room to above the floor boards.

The five men were rescued. One responding patrol boat crew remained on scene to observe the fishing boat, which sank about six miles offshore in an estimated 300-feet of water with about 800 gallons of diesel reported aboard.