U.S. man lost at sea rescued by Canadian crew west of Vancouver Island
One man remains missing after his shipmate was found drifting in a life raft
Sharp-eyed mariners on a Canadian vessel have rescued a U.S. man, one day after the United States Coast Guard ended its search for a commercial fishing boat from Washington state with two people aboard.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier says crew aboard the Canadian fishing boat Ocean Sunset spotted a life raft drifting in open ocean far west of Vancouver Island on Thursday.
A social media post from U.S. officials shows the life raft from the 13-metre Evening fishing vessel was found more than 200 kilometres northwest of its port in Gray's Harbour, Wash.
U.S. rescuers had suspended the search for the Evening on Wednesday, 11 days after it was reported overdue and two weeks after it had set out on what was supposed to be a three-day trip.
Strohmaier says when the Ocean Sunset reached the inflatable, covered life raft, the unnamed man aboard was conscious and was in stable condition as he was taken to shore by Canadian Coast Guard responders.
The fate of the Evening or the other person aboard are still undetermined, and Strohmaier says coast guard officials hope to speak to the survivor soon to determine whether to renew the search.