Fishing crew rescued after abandoning ship

WESTPORT, Wash. — A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Astoria rescued a fishing boat crew forced to abandoned ship 17 miles off the Northwest coast.

The crew of the 52-foot fishing vessel Quest sent a distress call at 11:10 p.m. Thursday. The boat was taking on water, and the crew of 4 could not keep the boat afloat.

The Coast Guard advised them to don survival gear and abandon ship.

A helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria in Oregon and a motor lifeboat from Station Grays Harbor in Washington were dispatched to assist.

The helicopter arrived on scene around midnight and found three people in a liferaft and one in the water. A rescue swimmer assisted the crewmember in the water, and all four were hoisted aboard the helicopter.

No one was injured.

The lifeboat crew arrived to locate the vessel, assess the risk of pollution and collect the vessel's emergency locator beacon from the water. 

The Quest sank with an estimated 250 gallons of diesel fuel on board, but there were no signs of pollution, the Coast Guard said.