One person was found dead and two people remain missing after their 15-foot vessel capsized in waters south of Vancouver Island.
The three people, who are related and residents of Snohomish County, Wash., were reported missing to the U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday (April 16) after they did not return as scheduled by 8 p.m. The trio set sail earlier that day from Neah Bay on the northwest point of the Olympic Peninsula.
Their vessel was located a few hours later, capsized at Koitlah Point.
The coast guard confirmed the body of a 64-year-old woman was recovered Thursday (April 17) afternoon.
Following a search of over 850 square nautical miles, over a 28-hour period, for the other people onboard – two men aged 63 and 69 – the U.S. Coast Guard announced Friday (April 19), the search was suspended “pending new information.”
"The decision to suspend the search pending new information is not an easy one," said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Mark McDonell, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, in a news release. "The U.S. Coast Guard is grateful for the support from our international, state and tribal partners who also searched a significant amount of area near Neah Bay. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing boaters."
The Clallam County Sheriff's Office is investigating and will release the names of the missing and deceased at a later date.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sector Puget Sound at 206-217-6001.
