After the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the official search for the missing fisherman from the Ethel May, a fishing vessel that capsized Sunday evening, local agencies and community members continued to scour Willapa Bay for signs of the lost man.
On Facebook Tuesday morning, Pacific County Sheriff’s Office said it was searching for a man named Bryson Fitch.
Family and friends of Bryson Fitch asked community members to keep looking for the missing Bay Center fisherman, according to a post on GoFundMe.
Fitch, 25, a longtime fisherman, husband and father of three young children, remained missing after the 46-foot crab boat Ethel May sank in heavy seas near Willapa Bay Sunday night. An extended search by the Coast Guard and state and local agencies was suspended Monday evening.
“However, his family is not giving up and is hoping the community will continue to look for Fitch,” supporters wrote in emails Tuesday.
“Please don’t stop searching. He is out there,” McKenzie Salas, Fitch’s wife, wrote on Facebook. “He is a fighter. Please keep looking. We need to bring him home. Anyone and everyone please.”
Commander Mike Parker, the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office continued to peruse the shores of Willapa Bay on Monday and Tuesday using an ATV provided by the Long Beach Police Department. The vehicle allowed access to coastal areas not accessible by truck, according to the office.
“We have been requesting assets from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Pacific County Department of Vegetation for airboats,” Parker said. “Especially with the weather being as calm as it is right now (Tuesday morning), we’ve got a few of those crews going out there, and in addition to their regular duties they are also looking for the lost fisherman.”
Parker said the office planned to deploy a drone and conduct an aerial search, and that Pacific County officials made trips to Tokeland to examine pieces of wreckage from the Ethel May, which continued to wash up Tuesday.
“We are still directing assets out there, because this is a member of our community, and we need to bring him home,” Parker said.
A Facebook group titled “Bring Bryson Home” had over 700 members Tuesday morning, who shared information about search locations and plans. Members posted pictures of ATV searches and beachcombing efforts, as well as pictures discovered wreckage they said was from the Ethel May. Others posted pictures of what appeared to be a vessel’s wheel house, and a survival suit with “Ethel May” written on it.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, the Coast Guard was alerted of the distressed boat by Pacific County Dispatch, which received a 911 call from the wife of an Ethel May crew member. The Coast Guard also received a transmission from the ship’s emergency beacon.
Arriving on scene to 12-foot seas and 20-mph winds roughly 40 minutes later, the Coast Guard lifted two crew members from a floating life raft and took the two crew members to a nearby hospital. The third crew member could not be located.
The official cause of the boat’s capsizing has not yet been determined. The Coast Guard was the leading agency for the official search, which spanned 290 square miles and lasted 15 hours.
The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office thanked the community for its effort in the search, and Parker advised safety as people continue to look.
“There’s a lot of people who have taken it upon themselves to do some sort of a search,” Parker said. “We ask people to be as safe as possible, let people know where you are going, and try not to search alone.”
“There is a verified GoFundMe where people can support the search effort and Fitch’s family,” according to organizers. “He was the sole provider for his wife and children, so they need help covering the bills while they continue to pray for his return.
To view the GoFundMe, please visit: https://gf.me/v/c/gclb/help-support-fitch-family
