VANCOUVER (AP) – A Canadian fishing boat rescued an American man one day after the United States (US) Coast Guard ended its search for a missing commercial fishing boat from Washington state with two people board, authorities said.
US Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier said the Canada-based Ocean Sunset spotted a covered life raft drifting in open ocean about 75 kilometres (km) off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Strohmaier said the Ocean Sunset’s crew found the man conscious on the raft, which was from the Evening fishing boat based in Gray’s Harbor, Washington.
The man was taken to shore by the Canadian Coast Guard and was reported in stable condition. His identity was not released.
The fate of the Evening and the other person aboard were unknown.
Strohmaier said Coast Guard officials hoped to speak with the survivor soon to determine whether to renew the search.
A social media post from US officials said the life raft from the 13-metre Evening was found more than 200km northwest of Gray’s Harbor.
US officials had suspended the search for the Evening 11 days after it was reported overdue and two weeks after it had set out on what was supposed to be a three-day trip.
