ANACORTES — Coast Guard crews were searching Tuesday for an overdue crabber last seen near Anacortes.
Missing is Dean Harvey, 48, of Bremerton.
A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Coast Guard Station Bellingham and the Adelie, a 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Port Angeles, are involved in the search.
A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from the Coast Guard station in Port Angeles also completed a search of the area before returning because of deteriorating weather.
The Port Angeles air crew may rejoin the search if the weather improves.
Robert Romero, Harvey’s brother, reported that they both left Anacortes around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday on separate, 18-foot fishing vessels to go crabbing and agreed to return to Anacortes at 3:30 p.m.
Romero returned to Anacortes at 3:30 p.m. and waited for his brother to return until 4:30 p.m., when he called Skagit County 9-1-1 operators to report him overdue.
“We encourage all boaters to file a float plan with a friend or relative to let them know where they will be and when they expect to return,” said Lt. Raphael Sadowitz, command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound in Seattle.
“The sooner we are notified of an overdue mariner, the sooner we can begin our search and send help.”
The Anacortes area Tuesday had heavy rain, 200 yards of visibility, 1 to 2 foot seas and 12 to 17 mph winds.
Anyone with information about Harvey’s whereabouts is asked to contact Sector Puget Sound at 206-217-6001.
