Late Sunday, April 1 at approximately 4:17 p.m. , the 54’ fishing vessel Mt Tamgas, owned by the Travenshek Family, placed a mayday call to the US Coast Guard saying their boat had capsized and was sinking NW of Tillamook, about 12-15 miles off the Rockaway Beach.
On board were 4 crewmen, who all are from Clatsop County. Martin McMaster, 57-years-old, Dave Ashton , age unknown, 28-year-old RJ Bean, and McMaster’s 28 year-old son, Kenny McMaster,
Kenny McMaster who was at the helm, said “there was some wind chop, but the water was not rough. At one point the boat leaned hard to its side and instead of righting itself, it rolled over. It happened so fast.”
According to Kenny McMaster’s mother, Elizabeth McMaster, “Kenny was in the wheel house and was able to call for the coast guard and get his survival suit on and get out of the wheelhouse just in time.”
The other 3 crewmembers deployed the survival raft from the deck and were able to find safety on board. Once out of the wheelhouse, Kenny, was then able to get to the raft and then he called his mother at 4:30 p.m. He said “The boat is going down, we are in the life raft, we made a distress call, but I am not sure they heard me…”
Then his phone went silent loosing the signal. Elizabeth then contacted the Coast Guard to verify they were in fact on their way. The Coast Guard had indeed received the call were in route.
US Coast Guard’s MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Sector Columbia River arrived on scene within 40 minutes and hoisted the four fishermen to safety and transported them to the helicopter landing pad at Station Tillamook Bay.
Elizabeth McMaster, “I am glad the Captain and the crew maintained cool heads and were able to make it off the boat and are all safe. Especially grateful to the US Coast Guard and all they do.”
Visit this link to see the footage of the rescue.
