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FISHERMAN RESCUED AFTER FALLING OVERBOARD NEAR CHANNEL ISLANDS CALIFORNIA
Posted by: James Beard
December 07, 2009
Topic: Missing Crewmembers / Persons
A Mayday message was issued when a crewman was discovered missing from his fishing vessel 5 miles west of the Channel Islands. It is unclear when the crewman fell overboard. He was last seen on the vessel almost an hour prior to the Mayday call. The Coast Guard responded by dispatching a 47 foot motor life boat and a HH-65C Dolphin Helicopter. Miraculously, with the aide of spotlights from the helicopter, the crewman was spotted treading water approximately a quarter mile away from his fishing vessel. He was rescued by the motor life boat. The crewman was being treated for hypothermia and transported to St. John's hospital in Oxnard, California.
Falling overboard continues to be a leading cause of death for commercial fishermen. Use of low profile work vests that can keep a man afloat is urged for all fishermen deckhands in Washington, Oregon, and California. Each West Coast commercial fishing vessel should also regularly drill in man overboard and search and rescue procedures. The cause of this crewman falling overboard is currently unknown and under investigation.
