Three dead after crabber capsizes in Oregon’s Yaquina Bay

Three fishermen were killed after their vessel capsized at the entrance of Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon, on the night of Tuesday, January 8.

The three individuals were inbound the Yaquina Bay Bar aboard the 12-metre crab boat Mary B. II when it capsized without warning at 22:08 local time.

Two of the fishermen were tossed overboard into the stormy Pacific Ocean with reported waves of four metres with occasional waves of six metres.

Prior to Mary B. II capsizing, its crew requested a US Coast Guard escort across the Yaquina Bay Bar. A Station Yaquina Bay boat crew aboard the 15-metre motor life boat (MLB) Victory went out to meet Mary B. II.

The crab boat capsized while under its own power with Victory nearby.

The life boat’s crew immediately began searching for the fishermen and called for more support leading to another boat crew launching a 14-metre MLB and an aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Facility Newport arriving on scene.

Responders reported debris washing up on the beach. The coast guard aircrew located the hull of Mary B. II near the North Jetty approximately 90 metres offshore.

The two fishermen who were tossed overboard were found unresponsive in the water while the third individual was extracted from the crab boat’s cabin by the morning of January 9. All were later pronounced dead.

No visible pollution was reported though rescuers noted the large amount of debris scattered around the area.

The coast guard is currently investigating the cause of the incident.