USCG Motor Lifeboat Rescues Fishing Vessel With Long-Distance Tow

After a 13-hour rescue tow, a Coast Guard motor lifeboat crew brought a disabled 68-ton fishing boat across the Coos Bay Bar on Tuesday morning. 

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector North Bend received a report at about 1540 hours Monday that the 61-foot fishing vessel Pacific Faith, with four crewmembers and 10,000 pounds of fish on board, had lost power about nine miles west of Port Orford. The vessel was drifting south.

A Coast Guard Station Coos Bay motor lifeboat crew launched at 1645 and arrived on scene at about 1915 hours. The MLB crew towed the Pacific Faith for 12 hours, mitigating fatigue by rotating positions.

On Tuesday morning, a second Coast Guard crew aboard heavy motor lifeboat Intrepid launched from Station Coos Bay in order to relieve the first crew for the final hour-long leg of the mission.

The crew of the Intrepid towed the fishing vessel across the Coos Bay Bar and safely moored it at the Charleston Marina at 0800 hours Tuesday.

“The Intrepid was chosen to do a relief tow at buoy five in the Coos Bay Bar due to its higher towing capacity,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Devon Lettie, a Station Coos Bay surfman. “The fishing community is still trying to do their jobs and support their families, and we still have to do ours.”

The four fishermen aboard the Pacific Faith reported no injuries.