Rough weather spurs distress calls off LaPush; man dies, 6 others rescued

One man died and six others were rescued today from two boats off the coast of La Push, Clallam County, the Coast Guard reported.

A third vessel in the same area lost power and had to be towed to shore, according to a Coast Guard statement. All three had issued distress calls.

"The weather was bad out there. It was rainy and probably fairly windy, too. But three calls like that in the same general location is pretty rare," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.

A 71-year-old man died and the two others on board one vessel were hospitalized when their pleasure boat capsized just before 10 a.m.

Two nearby charter-fishing boats responded and pulled the three men, all of whom were wearing life jackets, out of the water. Resuscitation efforts were started aboard one of the fishing boats, but the 71-year-old was unresponsive.

Two helicopters transported the three men to Forks Hospital in Forks, Clallam County, where the man was pronounced dead. The other two were being treated, but their conditions weren't available. The names of all three men were not released.

The Coast Guard responded to another distress call in the same area shortly before 9 a.m., when a 22-foot boat began taking on water. The Coast Guard stabilized the boat and towed it to safety. None of the four men on board was injured.

A third distress call from a 26-foot pleasure boat came in just after 10 a.m., when a 26-foot boat lost power to its primary engine. No one on board was injured.

"I'm not aware of anything about that specific area that's particularly violent," Eggert said. "I can't think of a time we've had that many calls from the same area. It was just chance."

Haley Edwards: 206-464-2745 or hedwards@seattletimes.com