1 Probe Started, Another Planned in Fishing Tragedy

The National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard will investigate the cause of last Thursday’s boating tragedy that killed 10 people after their vessel was reported capsized by a giant wave off Baja California.

Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Charles Crosby said a two-man marine board investigating team is scheduled to launch an investigation into the incident sometime later in the week. The NTSB, which investigates major marine accidents, has been investigating since Saturday.

After both agencies have investigated the sinking, representatives from both are scheduled to meet, most likely in another week, said Jim Burnett, NTSB chairman. From there, both departments are expected to conduct hearings on the cause of the accident.

Vessels from H & M Landing, where the ‘Fish-n-Fool’ was based, continued to scour the coastal area about 150 miles southeast of San Diego, Phil Lobred of H & M Landing said.

“We were told by the Coast Guard that it would be three to five days that the bodies would float on the water if they sunk,” Lobred said. “Now is the time to intensify the search.”

Lobred said that the fishing company also has been able to secure a plane to help find the bodies.

Coast Guard officials suspended their 30-hour search of a 300-square-mile area for possible survivors Friday night after determining that the cold water and strong currents off San Quintin would have prevented the 10 victims from surviving.

“In our opinion, we exhausted our ability to find anyone out there,” Coast Guard spokesman John Sullivan said.

Two of the 12 persons on board survived the accident, about 150 miles south of San Diego. One body has been recovered. Nine others remain missing.