Maritime Accident News

Fishing Boat Accident Near Sabine Pass

A fishing boat capsized approximately 20 miles off Sabine Pass.  The Coast Guard Headquarters received a call saying, “Mayday, Mayday. Hello?  We have a boat sinking.  Come in.”  The next thing that was heard from the captain was “Abandon ship!”

The four fishermen on the 25 foot Searay were forced to abandon their boat.  They had been fishing for bait near an oil rig when 4 to 5 foot waves began breaking over the back of the fishing vessel.  The waves overwhelmed the bilge pumps and caused the ship to start sinking.

The fishermen, Mark Bruyn, Lee Wellenwaber, Rocky Chapman and his son Bobby, had to make a quick decision.  Wellenwaber and the Chapmans climbed onto the rig while Bruyn continued to make calls for help on the sinking ship.

Rocky Chapman said Bruyn was making mayday calls while the water was almost up to his waist.  The GPS system on the fishing boat helped Bruyn give an exact position.

Bruyn jumped from the sinking fishing boat into the ocean approximately 40 feet from the rig where the other men were waiting.  However, he had trouble swimming to the rig because of the sea’s current.  The fishermen threw Bruyn a rope and he was able to pull himself in.

A Coast Guard helicopter responded quickly to the fishing boat accident and was at the location of the sinking ship in just short of 30 minutes. 

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