Three Men Rescued After Their Boat Sinks

In recent years the federal government mandated the use of emergency beacons that allow the crews to be rescued.

Rescued party being unloaded by the Coast Guard Photo courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard

(DEPOE BAY) - The U.S. Coast Guard saved three men after their 68-foot fishing boat sunk 70 miles west of Depoe Bay Tuesday night.

The Coast Guard received a call on VHF channel 16 from the operator of the fishing vessel Wild Mary at 11:18 PM, reporting his vessel was taking on water.

An HH-65 helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend, an HH-65 helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Newport, and a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay, were launched minutes later to assist.

Coast Guard crews located the men in a liferaft and hoisted them into a helicopter at 12:25 AM. The men were then safely transported to shore.

The cause of the sinking is under investigation.

In addition to having a liferaft onboard, the Wild Mary was also equipped with an Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon, survival suits, flares and a VHF marine radio.

In the late 1980's, the fishing vessel "Cougar" was lost off the central Oregon coast. Unlike this case, rescue crews could not locate the Cougar in time to save all of her passengers from the icy waters because the vessel did not have a functioning emergency locator beacon.

These devices give off a signal that draws rescuers directly to the stranded party. The tragedy of the Cougar caused the federal government to madate the emergency locator beacons on all boats, and today we talk about life rather than death, because of these circumstances years ago, that claimed the life of a good friend of the founders of Salem-News.com.

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