Fishing Boat Crew Rescues Five from Capsize

The U.S. Coast Guard and a commercial fishing crew rescued five people from the water after the fishing vessel Star King, a 55-foot stern trawler homeported in Astoria, capsized and sank near the entrance to the Columbia River in Oregon early Saturday morning.

All five fishermen were pulled from the water by the crew of the fishing vessel Sea Ballad and were transferred to a Coast Guard vessel. The men did not need medical attention.

The fishing trawler's captain first reported they were taking on water and listing hard to starboard before suddenly capsizing and sending all five crewmembers into the water.

"The quick, selfless actions taken by the crew of the good Samaritan crab vessel Sea Ballad and the fact that the Star King's crew put on survival suits saved five lives today," said Chief Petty Officer Justin Urbano, command duty officer, Sector Columbia River. "The Coast Guard had a quick response, but these fishermen were out of the water before we arrived on scene."

The Star King had approximately 300 gallons of fuel onboard when it sank. The Coast Guard is assessing the pollution threat.