At 4:39 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, the Pacific County 911 Communications Center received a 911 call that a boat might be sinking off Smith Anderson Road in North Cove near the county’s northwestern corner.

The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, Shoalwater Bay Police Department, South Beach Regional Fire, Washington State Parks and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) all responded. According to radio traffic, Shoalwater Bay Police Officer Tony Kimball was the first unit in the area and found the incident was occurring off Old State Route 105. He reported over the air that he observed a boat sinking, possibly with one person on board, who was entering the water.

Responders took to the rocky shore and beach to scan the water with binoculars. At first, it sounded like the USCG Air Station Astoria helicopter was not going to respond after a lifeboat was launched from USCG Station Westport.

However, a helicopter arrived on scene at about 5:25 p.m. and began searching the shoreline and ocean. At one point, the helicopter spent some time hovering over something in the water about 200 yards offshore.

Units were unable to see any additional signs that a boat was sinking or had capsized.

According to onlookers and beachgoers who had been in the area, they observed a small boat going along the shore. One onlooker stated, “We watched it go by, and I said, ‘That isn’t going to end well.’”

Close to a dozen individuals said they had seen a small boat on the water, and what they believed was it “sinking” and a person “going into the water.”

Just after 6 p.m., a unit came across the air and stated they observed whale carcasses in the water and believed that was what people were seeing. The search from shore was subsequently suspended.

According to the PCSO Deputy Rafael Macintosh, all boat trailers were accounted for at the Tokeland Marina.