NEAH BAY — A deceased woman who was found on a beach near Koitlah Point following the capsizing of a recreational vessel has been identified as Un-Cho Oh, 64, of Snohomish County.
Two other individuals who were on the 15-foot recreational vessel — men ages 64 and 69 — had not been found as of Friday afternoon.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Coast Guard both called off the search on Thursday night, pending new information.
The three-person crew had launched from the Makah Marina about 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, aiming to fish and gather seaweed, Clallam County Chief Criminal Deputy Amy Bundy said.
When the white Hewescraft Sportsman did not return by 8 p.m. that night, as planned, the Coast Guard began a search.
The vessel was located Thursday morning just east of Neah Bay.
Oh was located Thursday afternoon about 50 yards from the capsized boat, Bundy said. Both the location of Oh’s body and the descriptions given of the boaters were used to identify Oh as one of the missing individuals, Bundy said.
All three individuals are related and residents of Snohomish County, according to a Coast Guard press release.
Over a 28-hour period, air and water rescue crews searched more than 850 square nautical miles.
Individuals who aided in the search were from: Coast Guard Station Neah Bay, Air Station Port Angeles, Air Station Astoria, Air Station Sacramento, Puget Sound, Coast Guard District 13, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Victoria, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Makah Tribal Police, the Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Patrol, Air and Marine Operations in Bellingham and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with new information should contact Sector Puget Sound at 206-217-6001.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
