Search for lost fisherman near Victoria suspended, U.S. Coast Guard says
The United States Coast Guard says it has suspended its search for a 75-year-old fisherman who disappeared Thursday in the water south of Victoria.
Pat O’Brien was last seen aboard a four-metre skiff near the Washington state shoreline in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The angler was supposed to be fishing with some friends who were in a separate boat headed from Freshwater Bay, Wash. to Crescent Bay, Wash.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the man’s friends last talked to him via cellphone at 3:26 p.m. and last saw him heading westward from Crescent Bay approximately 10 minutes later.
The main engine on O’Brien’s boat was not working earlier in the day and he was using a backup motor to get around, the missing man’s friends told authorities.
The U.S. Coast Guard scrambled a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and patrol boats from Port Angeles, Wash. shortly after 6:40 p.m.
Additional helicopter crews from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island aided in the search overnight, as did the Canadian Coast Guard research vessel Vector, according to U.S. authorities.
By noon Friday, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter and a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter continued to search the near-shore area off Port Angeles.
On Friday evening, after 20 searches covering approximately 164 square miles (425 square kilometres), the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search.
“We extend our appreciation to the U.S. Navy and Canadian Coast Guard who volunteered to assist in the large search effort," said Scott Giard, program manager for the U.S. Coast Guard's District 13 Search and Rescue, in a news release.
"The decision to suspend a search is never one we come to lightly," Giard added. "Our crews searched continuously for over 21 hours over the past two days with the hopes of bringing the missing boater home to their loved ones. Our greatest sympathies go out to the boater's family at this time."
Authorities say O’Brien has no reported medical issues and most likely has food, water and lifejackets aboard his boat. The missing man’s boat is not believed to be equipped with a marine VHF radio.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of O’Brien or his boat is asked to contact the U.S. Coast Guard’s Puget Sound office at 206-217-6001.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.