A search is underway for three people in the Strait of Juan De Fuca after a boat that left Washington on Wednesday morning was found empty.
Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest are “actively searching the area with assistance from local agencies,” said a spokesperson.
The three left Neah Bay in Washington on Wednesday morning and were supposed to return home at 8 p.m. the same day.
The boat, a 15-foot recreational Hewescraft aluminum fishing boat (WN 8608CZ), was located on Thursday around noon at Koitlah Point with no sign of the three individuals who had been onboard.
The location where it was found near Neah Bay is about 18 nautical miles from Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island.
"Vessels transiting the area are requested to maintain a sharp lookout and report any signs of distress,” said the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest spokesperson.
Multiple agencies are assisting in the search, including the Canadian Coast Guard.
Other agencies involved include the Coast Guard Station Neah Bay and air stations in Port Angeles, Astoria and Sacramento. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Patrol, Makah Tribal Police, and the Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark are also assisting.
Anyone with information is asked to call the coast guard command centre at 206-217-6001.
