Coast Guard suspends search for missing man after boat capsizes near Bodega Bay
Coast Guard rescues 3 after boat capsizes off Bodega Bay
The Coast Guard rescued three people, Nov. 9, 2019, after a 54-foot commercial fishing boat, Miss Hailee, capsized approximately 30 miles northwest of Bodega Bay. A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew arrived on scene and hoisted three people into the helicopter, where the rescued members informed Coast Guard personnel that a fourth person was missing, prompting a search for the missing man that lasted until the following morning. (U.S. Coast Guard video)
SAN FRANCISCO - The Coast Guard suspended their search Sunday morning for a man who was missing after Coast Guard crews rescued three people Saturday evening from a capsized commercial fishing boat approximately 30 miles northwest of Bodega Bay.
The crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Tern, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported on Yerba Buena Island, and a Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew continued their search through the night.
The Coast Guard suspended their search after covering approximately 368 square miles over the course of approximately 16 hours.
“The decision to suspend a search is extremely difficult and our thoughts are with the missing man and his family at this time,” said Capt. Marie Byrd, the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco commander.
An emergency position-indicating radio beacon from the 54-foot Miss Hailee notified Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders of a distress at approximately 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
After no response from multiple callouts to the vessel via VHF-FM radio channel 16, Sector San Francisco watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan crew and a Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew to assist.
At approximately 6:50 p.m. Saturday, the Dolphin crew arrived on scene and was able to locate three people in the water. After hoisting two men and a woman aboard the aircraft, the crew was notified of a fourth person that was missing. The missing man was reportedly wearing a life jacket.
The Spartan aircrew, the MLB crew and good Samaritans aboard the tug, Cochise, remained on scene searching for the missing crewmember.