The Coast Guard suspended its search at 8:40 p.m. Friday for 44-year-old Captain Jon Stevenson aboard the 68-foot fishing vessel, Captain Raleigh, where it sank near Westport.
Three people who were aboard the vessel were rescued from the water by a rescue boat crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor.
The Captain Raleigh was underway Friday morning when the vessel master issued a distress call around 8:15 a.m. stating they were taking on water and the onboard pumps could not keep up.
Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia immediately issued a Urgent Marine Information Broadcast for anyone in the area to render assistance. They also dispatched rescue boat crews from Station Grays Harbor and an aircrew from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria.
A good Samaritan vessel pulled alongside the Captain Raleigh a few minutes after the distress call to provide a dewatering pump.
A rescue crew from Station Grays Harbor arrived on scene around 8:30 a.m. As the Coast Guard Surf Boat crew approached the Captain Raleigh they could see that the back deck was already partially submerged so the crew got ready to rescue the crew of the sinking vessel.
The Captain Raleigh then listed onto its side as the Coast Guard Surf Boat came alongside the sinking vessel. The three members of the crew of the Captain Raleigh stood on the side of the boat house trying to kick in the windows to give Captain Jon Stevenson a way out of the boat house.
The Captain Raleigh capsized, and the three Captain Raleigh crew members were rescued from the water by the crew. Members of the crew then climbed onto the capsized Captain Raleigh to see if they could hear Captain Stevenson inside the capsized vessel.
The Captain Raleigh continued to sink shifting to a bow up position at which time the crew members of the Surf Boat attached a line to the kicked in boat house window with a pike pole and grappling hook with glow sticks tied to the line in hopes that the glow sticks would show Captain Stevenson the way out of the boat house. The Captain Raleigh then blew out a gush of air and sank below the waves of Grays Harbor.
The captain was reported to still be aboard the Captain Raleigh when she sank near the Grays Harbor bar entrance.
The three who were rescued were brought back to the Station for evaluation by EMS, and two additional boat crews from Station Grays Harbor joined the search efforts. The aircrew from Air Station Astoria arrived overhead at 9 a.m. to begin search patterns.
A U.S. Navy dive team was also requested to assist in the search efforts. A Navy helicopter from Air Station Whidbey Island transported the dive team to Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor and divers were transported to the scene by Coast Guard boat crews. Additionally, A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging vessel arrived on scene to assist in locating the sunken vessel. At 11:45 a.m., they pinpointed the location of the Captain Raleigh.
The U.S. Navy diver reported having two feet of visibility with multiple tangle hazards connected to the sunken vessel. The diver banged on the sunken Captain Raleigh, and then listened but did not hear anything coming from inside of the sunken vessel and then returned to the surface because of the multiple tangle hazards in the water and low visibility.
On Saturday, around noon there was an orange inflatable life raft that had floated against the rocks of the South Jetty of Grays Harbor that had presumably come loose from the Capt. Raleigh after sinking.
“This is a tragedy for our fishing communities,” said Capt. Justin Noggle, commander of Coast Guard Sector Columbia River. “I’m thankful our Coast Guard crews were able to save the three crewmembers quickly, and our hearts are with the family and friends of everyone impacted by this tremendous loss.”
The Coast Guard is working alongside the Washington Department of Ecology to mitigate pollution impacts. There is currently no reported impact to the shoreline. A commercial salvage team from Seattle is on scene developing a salvage plan. The vessel is currently resting in approximately 40 feet of water outside of the navigable channel.
The Coast Guard issued a warning to all vessels transiting Grays Harbor of the sunken vessel with loose shrimp nets attached to it near Buoy 13. A commercial salvage company has been hired to salvage the Captain Raleigh. The Coast Guard requests all vessels transiting the area stay clear of the work area and try not to cause excessive wakes while salvage work is being done.
At this time Captain Stevenson is presumed deceased. Hopefully the salvaging of the Capt. Raleigh will enable the recovery of Captain Stevenson.
GoFundMe for the Stevenson family:
Jon Stevenson is a much-loved member of the commercial fishing industry up and down the West Coast. Jon was aboard the Captain Raleigh when it tragically sank and is currently still missing at sea.
An outstanding man who spent his life taking care of and entertaining all with his wicked sense of humor, Jon was deeply cherished by everyone who knew him. More importantly, he has always been an exceptional husband to Jennifer and father to Bella, Ava and Larry. They were his priority and his greatest joy.
We all feel the need to help this beautiful family, and this is one thing we can do to ease some of the pressures they are feeling. The thing Jon would want the most is that his family supported and cared for. We are raising funds to support Jon’s family during this difficult time.
Please share your favorite memories of Jon with the family. Together, we can honor Jon’s legacy by supporting his beloved family during this challenging time.
As of Monday afternoon, $17,305 has been raised toward the $30,000 goal.
If you want to donate:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-family-of-jon-stevenson-in-tragic-boat-accident
GoFundMe for the crew:
On May 9, tragedy struck when the F/V Captain Raleigh sank unexpectedly off the coast of Westport.
Three crew members made it off safely and are now facing the overwhelming challenge of rebuilding their lives from scratch, along with healing from the trauma of losing their captain in the accident. They’re not just dealing with the loss of income — they’re also without the basic essentials: clothing, identification, vehicle keys, and even cherished personal items.
We’re raising funds to help the crew and their families cover immediate needs like clothes, replacement gear, and basic living expenses while they get back on their feet. These are people who work tirelessly to provide for their families and communities — now it’s our turn to show up for them. After just beginning the season they were working for their first paycheck.
Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference. Please consider giving what you can and sharing this with others who may want to help.
As of Monday afternoon, $1,725 has been raised toward the $5,500 goal.
If you want to donate:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-capt-raleigh-crew
