Trouble navigating through the dangerous south entrance of the Tillamook Bay Bar, combined with large waves, lack of sleep and marijuana use, led to the capsizing of a Warrenton commercial
Trouble navigating through the dangerous south entrance of the Tillamook Bay Bar, combined with large waves, lack of sleep and marijuana use, led to the capsizing of a Warrenton commercial
Share this article
The U.S. Coast Guard will convene a formal marine casualty investigation into the capsizing of a commercial fishing vessel with the loss of two lives at Oregon’s Tillamook Bay Bar on Saturday.
The 38-foot fishing vessel, Coastal Reign, was attempting to cross the Tillamook Bay Bar inbound at around 4:40 p.m. local time on February 20 when the vessel capsized with four crew members on board. The Coast Guard reported that the fishing vessel was being watched by U.S.C.G. personnel at a watch tower as it crossed the bar to return to port. Once it capsized, they immediately dispatched rescue crews to the scene.
SHARE
The F/V Coastal Reign capsized on Oregon s Garibaldi Bar on Saturday, Feb. 20, killing two members of its four-person crew. Facebook photo
The 38-foot Dungeness crab boat Coastal Reign capsized while crossing the bar in Oregon’s Tillamook Bay, heading into Garibaldi on Saturday, Feb. 20. Of the four crew members, two survived the capsizing.
Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier reported that the Coast Guard was watching the bar area as boats were returning on Saturday afternoon. They had issued small craft restrictions but had not closed the bar.
On its bar crossing, the Warrenton-based Coastal Reign turned sideways in the surf and capsized at 4:40 p.m. The Coast Guard responded with Tillamook Bay rescue boats and a helicopter from Astoria. Good Samaritan fishing boats also assisted.