The 67-foot fishing vessel Desire has reportedly sunk 20 miles west of the Umpqua River on the Oregon Coast. The crew issued a May Day call to the Coast Guard Monday at around nine o’clock. The vessel’s EPIRB also signaled the Coast Guard the vessel’s location. All five crewmen aboard the vessel donned survival suits and were able to get into the vessel’s life raft. The crewmen were hoisted by two helicopters dispatched to the scene
The Desire homeport is listed as Neah Bay, Washington. All five of the crewmembers were taken to North Bend, Oregon. The cause of the sinking is under investigation at this time. The incident stresses the vital role emergency preparedness plays in saving fishermen’s life. Commercial fishing off the Coast of Washington remains extremely dangerous with few regulations governing vessel safety.
The maritime lawyers at Johnson Beard & Trueb PC represent injured commercial fishermen and their families to recover compensation for injuries under the Jones Act and Federal Maritime Law.