FV Blue Heather; Yaquina Bay, Newport, OR

Yaquina Bay, Newport, OR | 1999-Dec-09

Initial Notification: At 1330 hrs, 9 December 1999, NOAA/HAZMAT was notified of a sunken 60ft. fishing vessel, FV BLUE HEATHER, in the entrance to Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon. The vessel was being escorted by the USCG across a very rough bar into Yaquina Bay during a storm last night when she strayed off course and ran aground on the north jetty. High surf conditions rolled the vessel and she sank. Three of the four crew members were rescued although one died on the way to the hospital. The fourth crewmember is still missing. At 0330 PST this morning the position of the ship was reported to be at 44? 36.8' N by 124? 04.45' W. Since that time, the ship has moved to an unknown location. The maximum reported fuel capacity of the ship was 7,000 gallons. It is believed that the ship had about 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel onboard at the time of the accident. As of 1400 PST on the 9th, a rainbow to silver sheen was reported inside of Yaquina Bay extending about 2 miles east of the bridge. The coverage was reported to be about 50 - 60%. It is believed that the ship is not leaking at the present time. USCG district 13.