Photo by Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard Air Crews and Boat Crews spent Saturday evening and most of Sunday looking for a missing fishing vessel in Willapa Bay. The F/V Kelli J was reported missing by the wife of the captain and lone soul on board. She reported he had taken the vessel out and did not return to port as scheduled prompting her to call the Coast Guard.
Sunday morning rescue crews were notified by the Washington State Department of Ecology that they had discovered an oil sheen and debris field in Willapa Bay, but could not confirm it was coming from the missing F/V Kelli J. Mid-day on Sunday the Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing mariner after "all searches yielded negative results" according to Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ali Flockerzi who is the Public Affairs Officer for the incident.
"At this time we are switching to a vessel recovery and salvage," Flockerzi stated. "We currently have a vessel leaking oil and fuel and are in the process of getting divers down to verify if it is the missing vessel. They will then also remove the fuel and oil from the leaking vessel. The divers have been hampered by swift currents and there is no time estimate of when they will get down to the wreckage."
Word spread across the area via Facebook and local news sources about the missing fishing vessel. Some reports have suggested that the F/V had been located submerged between Bay Center and Oysterville. "Those facts are not confirmed," Flockerzi stated. "We cannot confirm we have located the missing vessel until divers are able to verify the wreckage. All that we know as of now is we believe we have found something, but can't confirm what that is."
Until divers are able to verify the wreckage as the missing Kelli J there will be no confirmation. There was no mayday or sign of distress relayed to watch standers at nearby Coast Guard stations. The name of the missing fisherman is being withheld out of respect for the family.
This is a developing story. No other details were available at the time of reporting.