The U.S. Coast Guard is holding a weeklong public inquiry into a deadly commercial fishing boat accident off the Oregon coast. It starts Monday, May 13, in Newport.
Three people died in January when the Mary B II went down at the mouth of the Yaquina Bay in Newport. The Coast Guard says the boat encountered heavy waves and went under.
In a community where so many fishermen have lost their lives that there’s a memorial dedicated to them, this accident was particularly rough.
Witnesses at the hearing include former colleagues of the men who died. The panel will also hear from a meteorologist, an expert in commercial crab fishing at Oregon State University, and law enforcement officers familiar with the case.
The five day inquiry is open to the public and will be held at Newport’s City Hall.
