Video of Fishing Vessel Network's Capsizing Released

The Coast Guard released the clip of the tragic incident in Tillamook Bay today.

In this image released by the Coast Guard, a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Station Tillamook Bay, Ore., and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Ore., search the waters near Tilamook for two men who fell overboard when the 42-foot crab boat Network capsized Friday, November 28, 2008. (U.S. Coast Guard/Air Station Astoria)

(TILLAMOOK, Ore.) - The U.S. Coast Guard has released video of a tragic capsizing that took place early last Friday morning in Oregon's Tillamook Bay. The heart wrenching scenes were recorded by a Coast Guard volunteer named Sherry Newman.

In one clip, we see the fishing vessel Network struck by a large wave while the crew was struggling to make headway in the tremendous surf, very close to the end of the north jetty at the mouth of Tillamook Bay.

The Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat that responded to aid the Network stayed very close during the ordeal. It seems amazing that the Coast Guard boat was actually there as the tragedy occurred. It speaks to the extreme conditions that overtook the fishing vessel.

It was the crew of that same Coast Guard boat from Tillamook Bay, that initially witnessed the event, and called in Coast Guard reinforcements to try and save the men aboard the Network.

In spite of their efforts, as the video shows, the Network was struck by a large wave and capsized. Stormy seas and a close proximity to the deadly rocks kept the Coast Guard vessel from being able to prevent the Network from rolling over. The power of ocean waves like these can hardly be overestimated.

Sadly, the Coast Guard reports that the men aboard the Network were not wearing life jackets when the vessel capsized. Officials say the importance of using safety devices like life jackets is imperative, especially when confronted with a dire emergency.

As the video shows, the Network capsized and was washed onto the jetty.

One of the three men aboard the stricken vessel was able to swim to shore where he was taken to the Tillamook hospital by fire crews from Rockaway Beach and Garibaldi.

The search for two men near the north jetty of Tillamook Bay, was suspended Friday at 4:31 PM.

The Coast Guard says that in addition to crews from two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Tillamook Bay, three HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Astoria responded, searching 15 square miles for seven hours in in hopes of locating the men.

In the final scenes of the video, the Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat searches for crew of the Network, on rocks near the center of the screen.

Casualty and pollution investigators from Coast Guard Sector Portland were dispatched to Tillamook to investigate the capsizing and a sheen of diesel fuel that appeared in the water. It is estimated 400 gallons of fuel were on board the vessel.

The Coast Guard advises all boaters to wear lifejackets whenever aboard a vessel. Lifejackets greatly improve the chances of survival of somebody stranded in the water.

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In this video released by the Coast Guard, the 42-foot crab boat Network capsizes on the Tillamook, Ore., jetty. The vessel capsized with three people on board Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. (U.S. Coast Guard video/Citizens Action Network volunteer Sherry Newman)

Salem-News.com's Tim King reports:

Video

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Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor.
Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 in Afghanistan with Oregon troops. Tim recently returned from Iraq where he covered the war there while embedded with an Oregon Guard aviation unit. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated with Google News and several other major search engines and news aggregators.
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