Tangled crab buoys again prompt emergency call for possible person in distress

Local Emergency agencies and Coast Guard respond

By Barb Aue • September 7, 2016 1:30 am

For the second time in as many months, individuals on the beach south of the South Jetty have observed what appeared to be an unresponsive swimmer in the water between the first and second wave breaks.

Following repeated attempts to hail the subject and receiving no response, both individuals dialed 911, triggering responses from the Westport Police Department, South Beach Fire & EMS and U.S. Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor with its 25-foot Response boat.

Both calls resulted in the determination that the object was, in fact, a group of tangled crab buoys bobbing on the surface of the water, most liking dragging a crab pot below.

The latest incident occurred Sunday, Sept. 4, at approximately 6:30 p.m. It provided an opportunity for South Beach Fire & EMS to respond to the beach in its new surplus military 4-by-4 vehicle obtained at no cost from the state Department of Natural Resources.

The vehicle serves a number of functions. It is used for soft sand beach rescue, quick-attack brush firefighting in rough terrain and added illumination at fire, accident and crime scenes.