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11-05-2005 we were notified by the Coast Gaurd of an 18ft boat found overturned and drifting near Lummi Island and Hales Passage. Owners or their status were unkown as they could not identify any boat registration info from the air. We were dispatched to identify the boat and any other "items of interest" in the area.
The decision to dive was pushed back until the morning due to safety concerns surrounding visibility and sea conditions. We boarded a CG vessel in the morning and went to the scene. Due to sea conditions, proximity to the rock seawall, the risk of nets being around the wreck, and the fact that we could not tether a diver, the decision was made to have two divers in the water simultaneously. Normally we go solo due to our divers task loads and the nature of underwater searchs, with a safety diver at the ready on the surface. With the risks present on this scenario two untethered divers in the water made more sense.
The boat was found unnocupied and with most of the wreckage remaining in the emediate area. The hull ID and registration numbers were retrieved so the owner could be identified and their status determined. There are some things we look for, not knowing what type of scene this is yet, ie. accident, homicide, theft, death, etc. What is the position of the throttle? Was it in gear and at what position? Are there mooring cleats ripped off the boat? Is there any damage that would point to a cause of the sinking? Is the propeller intact? What are the contents of the boat and/or accident scene? These are just a few of the questions we have to answer until we know what type of call this is going to be.
A crab pot with the name and address of it's owner was found nearby and that info, along with the boats numbers, led us to the owner who was found to be alive and well. He was unaware his boat had gone missing and it is presummed to have broken free from it's mooring on another island. Case closed.
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