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Coast Guard rescues crew, sinks vessel
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CopyThe Coast Guard rescued two crew members who abandoned their 60-foot fishing vessel after it caught fire 10 miles off the Long Beach Peninsula on Monday.
The crew members reported the fire aboard the fishing vessel Portlock late Monday afternoon before jumping into a life raft.
The Coast Guard Cutter Active, homeported in Port Angeles, was eight miles from the burning vessel and was diverted to assist. Air Station Astoria launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and Station Cape Disappointment launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew to assist.
Guardsmen found the men in their raft and brought them back to Cape Disappointment.
The captain of the Port of Portland decided the best option was to sink the burning vessel before it drifted to shore, where its 400 gallons of diesel fuel and two propane tanks could pose a threat to the environment. After consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency and other affected agencies, the crew of the Cutter Active was told to sink the Portlock, then eight miles offshore.
The crew of the Cutter Active safely used their 25 mm gun to sink the vessel.
The Portlock was homeported in Seattle.
Copyright 2009 The Wahkiakum County Eagle, Cathlamet, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 2009 The Wahkiakum County Eagle Cathlamet, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.
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