BajaNomad - Mexican Boat "Erik" Capsizes

Mexican Boat "Erik" Capsizes

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JZ - 7-10-2011 at 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack JoeNo way would I want to be in that situation in total darkness.

Yeah, that's a key fact and why the boat would take the wave beam to. It was dark that night. Just a sliver of a moon.

Divers could start searching for missing fishermen Monday

BajaNews - 7-11-2011 at 12:20 AM

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18452222

By Paul Burgarino
07/10/2011

While most of the survivors of a fishing trip-turned-deadly return home to Northern California, efforts continue to comb the Sea of Cortez to find those that remain missing.

Divers from the U.S. Navy are being brought in from Hawaii to search the submerged vessel Erik to see if seven missing men are inside, said Alfredo Escobedo Ortiz, civil protection director for Baja California, Mexico.

The dive team was likely to arrive Sunday and the search could begin Monday, barring any complications with customs, he said.

Search and rescue efforts continued throughout the weekend, but to no avail.

A U.S. Coast Guard aircrew searched 900 square miles near Isla San Luis, while three boats from the Mexican Navy searched on the water's surface. The Mexican Federal Police also scoured the shores trying to find seven missing men.

The Coast Guard has searched approximately 4,600 square miles of ocean and land since the Mexican Navy requested help with the search.

In the Bay Area, family members of the lost anglers have not given up hope. They launched a website http://findourfathers.com Sunday dedicated to spreading the word about the incident and galvanizing local and international resources.

A week ago, 27 passengers were tossed into the warm sea waters about 100 miles south of San Felipe; a freak thunderstorm generating waves that capsized their chartered fishing boat. Locals call it "El Torito," or little bull, because it packs a powerful punch.

Mexican investigators found the sunken boat last week, in about 223 feet underwater. The water is too deep for local divers to explore the ship, Ortiz said.

"It is something I will never forget," said Gary Wong of Berkeley. Wong spent more than 15 hours floating on a safety ring and paddling to shore after the 105-foot fishing boat sank.

In all, 19 fishermen -- mostly from Northern California on an annual Fourth of July trip -- and 16 Mexican crew members made it safely to dry land. One man, Leslie Yee of Ceres, was found drowned on a remote island beach and seven other Americans remain missing.

Wong was among the last men to exit the ship.

"I can't believe I'm going to die a day after retiring," said Wong, who retired July 1 from his job as a senior water treatment operator for the East Bay Municipal Utility District.

When he surfaced, Wong made his way to a raft and a large safety ring lashed together. A crew member pulled him aboard the ring.

Mexican officials said the cause of the capsizing is under investigation, and a report on the accident should be ready in about 10 days.

"We're reviewing the records of the ship, but I can tell you it had a steel hull, and it had been operating for years in this area," said Jose Luis Rios Hernandez, a port captain in Ensenada who is helping with the investigation. "The truth is that the weather conditions (the Erik faced) could have done the same to any boat of that size.''

bullmello - 7-11-2011 at 03:23 AM

There is good discussion going on here regarding this tragedy. Maybe we can learn something from it. This storm could very well have overwhelmed the most well engineered boat and best prepared crew. However, this boat was run by a less than professional operator which could have been a contributing factor to the accident and loss of life. This is not playing the blame game. This is a logical examination of the known facts and trying piece together the unknown to find out how to avoid a similar tragedy in the future.

If anything, I do feel a touch of blame myself for not speaking out more publicly about such a shoddy operator without much regard for the safety of his paying passengers. (Another poster previously mentioned this and I agree for my own lack of action.) I went on a trip into the open Pacific Ocean to Socorro Island from La Paz some years back on this same boat run by the same operator. No radar, no GPS, a sometime working marine radio, no EPIRBS, hardly any safety equipment, no training or plan on what to do in case of catastrophe. The year was not 1492. It was my first of many trips to Baja, my last on that boat. Holding an operator of any sportfishing outfit to a high standard of safety should not be a bad thing whether in Baja or not.

Boating and fishing can be dangerous or even perilous and yet we still do it because we love it. It is foolhardy to ignore safety while doing so. I have been swamped in a small boat with a friend in the SOC myself and lived to tell about it. We were about a mile offshore near a point with wind, current, reef and waves all going different directions and we got it just a bit wrong and went in the water. If we had done things differently after getting swamped, we might not be around to have learned something from the experience. The conditions were bad, it was the wrong place at the wrong time and in the final analysis it was mostly our fault and our lack of experience under those conditions that caused it. At least our training served us well and we were able to be rescued by pangeros that were onshore. We were also lucky.

Bottom line, nature can be harsh, the operator of this particular boat still cannot be trusted.

the cause, according to one survivor

mtgoat666 - 7-11-2011 at 05:01 AM

excerpt from
By DEREK MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 9:22 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 9:22 a.m.
------
Most of the men had gone to their cabins for the night by the time Miller, a retired electrical superintendent, headed back on deck. He and a few others couldn't sleep because of the heat and their unease over the increasingly foul weather.

Miller and five other men, including DeLuca and Bautista, were assigned to cabin 9, which was on an upper deck behind the bridge.

Miller watched as waves struck the boat's port side and then cascaded over the top. The water began filling the fish hold, where the hatch had been left open, as well as the interiors of the smaller fishing boats called pongas, which were left uncovered.

With each successive wave, more water stayed in the boat, until the vessel began to list to one side. Miller said that's when one of the men said they were in trouble.

Miller said he rushed to his cabin and turned on the lights. He said his bunkmates thought he was joking when he told them to get out, but then, realizing he was serious, they began hustling.

Miller said the last time he saw Bautista, he was rushing out the cabin door dressed only in his underwear and carrying a life vest on one shoulder. Miller watched him leave while struggling to pull on cut-off shorts.

Below in a cabin, Tsurumoto was watching the movie “Secretariat” on his iPad when Chaddock leaned over and asked him if the boat was supposed to be leaning so far over.

“Hell no,” Levine said. “We gotta get out of here.”

The men raced out of the room. To their dismay, they found that the boat's entire crew of 16 already was assembled on deck, wearing nice life vests. Tsurumoto said the boat's cook handed him a life vest that had broken straps.

There was no time for complaining. Tsurumoto and the other men jumped overboard into the dark sea.

Time to get off boat

Miller was still on board and had gone to the bridge to search for a life vest. By then, the boat was at a 45-degree angle. When water broke the windows on one side of the bridge and the power went out, Miller knew it was time to go.

He remembered seeing two large life rings attached to the top of his cabin earlier that night. He made his way to them, but was disheartened to see that they were attached solidly with straps. Calling out for something to cut them with, Miller was handed a fish filet knife — not ideal.

He managed to cut away one strap, but as he began work on the other, the boat heaved backward for its final plunge. As the boat sank, Miller hung on, furiously cutting away at the strap.

He was about 10 feet under the water's surface when he finally freed the straps. The rings broke free and floated away, as Miller, entangled in rope, kicked frantically to get away. Miller discovered later that he broke a toe. The boat's metal mast also struck him, bruising his ribs.

Miller's actions turned out to be a lifesaver, as the rings supported 18 passengers and crew members. Miller's friends said he acted heroically. But Miller dismissed the notion Friday and he feels guilt over not being able to do more.

“I was just trying to save my ass,” he said.

With lightning speed, the men found themselves in the dark and balmy ocean, naked or nearly so, riding swells they estimated to be 25 feet high. Men could be heard screaming in Spanish and in English over the din of the wind and crashing waves.

monoloco - 7-11-2011 at 06:31 AM

Any experienced captain would order the hatches to be battened down at the first sign of large seas. Whoever was running that ship was incompetent and should be prosecuted and whoever hired him should be prosecuted also.

Vengeance is mine

mtgoat666 - 7-11-2011 at 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco
Any experienced captain would order the hatches to be battened down at the first sign of large seas. Whoever was running that ship was incompetent and should be prosecuted and whoever hired him should be prosecuted also.

prosecute?
you make a big leap from incompetence to criminal activity.
what was criminal intent and act?
prosecuting someone for incompetence is silly. you punish people for willful misconduct - makes no sense to punish someone for incompetence.

of course, there are people that just seek punishment to satisfy urge to revenge...

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."

autopilot systems or not?

mcfez - 7-11-2011 at 06:52 AM

I am not going to claim to be a professional Seaman.....as some here seems to be imposing that upon us.

Ships sink. In any country, regardless of their inspections, Skippers, or whatever other reason(s).

I am surprised that no one here has questioned whether the helmsman was awake........or asleep.

monoloco - 7-11-2011 at 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote:

It's called criminal negligence.

On the Job at the Helm ?

MrBillM - 7-11-2011 at 09:20 AM

Was the vessel underway ? Or, at anchor ?

If at anchor, there was likely not even a lookout posted, which probably wouldn't have mattered. Given how fast the situation developed, what any of the crew were doing might have been immaterial.

David K - 7-11-2011 at 09:25 AM

Too bad that didn't pull into Gonzaga Bay when the wind picked up... Just 5 miles away to a safe, natural harbor.

Skeet/Loreto - 7-11-2011 at 10:21 AM

The only "Whip Storm" that I observed was the one at Loreto in the early 90's.

The morning started off pretty Normal with a few Clouds.' About 11 Am the Winds first came real strong from the West creating somewhat of a
Rotor Cloud" very low in front of Rancho Sonrisa, then the Winds started shifting from all directions and in Gusts. We started closing all the Windows andhelping some of the Pangas with fisherman who were being blown up real high on the Beach.
Every once in awhile the Clouds would clear and I cood see a large vessel about 75 Footer riding out the Waves about a Half Mile out into the Water. I was concerned that he would be capsized and washed ashore. In about 3 hours it was all over and all Pangas had been accounted for without loss of Life. I had some window blown off the Hinges, and the Transformer Boxes at Hotel Oasis were blown down.

Over the 27 years I owned and operated a panga on the Sea of Cortez I had never seen such a strange storm.

I just got a feeling while reading all the reports that this Storm was one of those.
\ "Whip Storms".

For the Children who Like to be the "Blamers' of our Culture today. There is a difference in Baja Mexico and the United States of America. Their Laws Rules and Regulations are much different, Their Social Mores are different.
I could well imagine the number of trips and possbile Overloading of that Boat.

For those children who never take a Risk because they are "Afraid" I feel far sadly.

skeet's credo: "just do it!"

mtgoat666 - 7-11-2011 at 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skeet/Loreto
For those children who never take a Risk because they are "Afraid" I feel far sadly.

mo-skeeter:
everything has risk.
every risk can be reduced to probabilities, such as a number like "1 in 570,000 chance of death."
please define what is your acceptable risk, for us "children," and for yourself.

did you know that climbing mt everest has a death rate of something like 3 percent of people that try it?
makes you hesitate before adopting the skeet (and Nike) motto of "just do it!"

Skeet/Loreto - 7-11-2011 at 12:18 PM

No Goat!! Not the "If it feels good Thingy of the Left-Leaning HillBillies that you are!!

In the ole Days we were taught to Observe, Calculate, then decide to take a Risk. Example "First time off the Cornice at Mamouth" Am I a good enough Skier?? Is my Body in Great Condition?? If I do Fall, How far will I slid??

Then Take off and have a Great Run.

bajaday - 7-11-2011 at 12:26 PM

Seems things have slowed down in the search dept. the last few days. The only helo we've seen for a few days has been the Marines. Yesterday they went by us about 10:30 am but we didn't hear nor see them return north. We saw nothing go down south this a.m. About noon a Navy boat was freighting towards San Felipe. I hope the divers are able to search soon. This has to an agonizing time for the families.

bajatravelergeorge - 7-11-2011 at 02:28 PM

Talk about freaky.

The Friday night before the sinking I picked out a movie to watch from our DVD collection of hundreds of movies. What did I pick out? The Poseidon Adventure.

I kid you not!

Freak Occurrences

MrBillM - 7-11-2011 at 02:44 PM

Speaking of Dangerous Sports, one favorite Nocturnal Sport up here (especially among Young Marines) is Whacking Rural Mailboxes.

Given that the sport is usually indulged in after a preparatory bout of Liquid training, it is inevitable that execution timing problems may occur.

During one such competition awhile back, the "Whacker", apparently confused over proximity to the next goal, leaned out and LOST His Head.

Literally.

Although it continues to happen once in awhile, for each participant, it is the last such exercise.

Given that it's a loosely-organized sport without published stats, I'm unsure what the averages are, though.

wessongroup - 7-11-2011 at 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajatravelergeorge
Talk about freaky.

The Friday night before the sinking I picked out a movie to watch from our DVD collection of hundreds of movies. What did I pick out? The Poseidon Adventure.

I kid you not!

JZ - 7-11-2011 at 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Too bad that didn't pull into Gonzaga Bay when the wind picked up... Just 5 miles away to a safe, natural harbor.

I wonder if it's deep enough there for a boat that big.

Safety of sunken fishing boat at issue

BajaNews - 7-11-2011 at 04:35 PM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/11/safety-of-sun...

By Sandra Dibble, Michael Gardner and Ed Zieralski
July 11, 2011

Rescuers recount finding boat survivors

The allure of angling in waters teeming with game fish in the Gulf of California has drawn U.S. adventurers for many years.

Like a sportfishing trip anywhere, these voyages have their risks — from seasickness to turbulent weather. That reality was highlighted during a sudden storm on July 3, when two large waves in the gulf capsized the vessel Erik about 60 miles south of San Felipe.

Thirty-five of the boat’s passengers and crewmen were rescued after floating for up to 16 hours at sea. Seven passengers — all Americans — remain missing, and one has been found dead.

On Saturday, the Mexican navy, assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard, continued search operations in the gulf, also called the Sea of Cortez. A diving team was heading from Hawaii to where the Erik is believed to be sitting more than 200 feet underwater.

It’s unclear whether the vessel was fully seaworthy and whether its crew followed proper safety procedures. Mexico’s federal Communications and Transportation Secretariat won’t release those details because it is investigating the incident, and the boat’s owner has not responded to email, phone and in-person requests for comment.

Some of the survivors had boarded a life raft, others tied on life jackets but said not everyone had access to a life jacket before the vessel sank. Previous passengers, including a group of North County residents who spent a week on the boat in June, said there was no presentation or talk about safety during their trip.

Fishing groups and Mexican and U.S. maritime officials said sportfishing vessels that spend time in Mexican waters, whether they start off in San Felipe or San Diego, must be certified. The following are some other guidelines concerning safety:

Question: Where was the Erik ported?

Answer: The 115-foot charter fishing vessel was registered in Mexico under the name BajaTuristica S.A. de C.V. and docked in San Felipe. It was chartered by Baja Sportfishing Inc., which lists an office in the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego. Business records filed with the state and San Diego show that Alexander Cesar Velez is the company’s owner.

Q: Which government oversees boat safety in the Gulf of California?

A: Because the gulf is considered federal waters, any vessel in that area must abide by federal Mexican regulations.

Q: Who handles day-to-day enforcement of those rules?

A: That would be the harbor master in each location. In the case of the Erik, it would be the harbor master in San Felipe. These harbor masters work under the federal Communications and Transportation Secretariat.

Q: What are some of the harbor masters’ duties?

A: They are tasked with registering sportfishing vessels, recording each boat’s dimensions and other characteristics, making sure it has insurance and evaluating whether it qualifies for a Certificate of Maritime Safety. Harbormasters send inspectors to make sure vessels comply with safety standards spelled out in that certificate.

The harbor master’s office works with the Mexican navy to ensure that safety measures are properly observed while a boat is out at sea. The Mexican federal agency Conaspesca checks fishing licenses.

mtgoat666 - 7-11-2011 at 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Too bad that didn't pull into Gonzaga Bay when the wind picked up... Just 5 miles away to a safe, natural harbor.

too bad they didn't close the doors and hatches when wind/waves picked up, and too bad they did not store pangas upside down or right-side-up/tarped. customers would have slept thru the squall w/o losing a wink of sleep.

BajaNews - 7-11-2011 at 04:42 PM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/11/rescuers-reco...

By Ed Zieralski
July 11, 2011

The allure and adventure of fishing on a Mexican sport boat in bountiful waters teeming with game fish in the Sea of Cortez has drawn American anglers for more many years, but there have always been risks.

The sinking in a freak summer storm of the Mexican-owned sportfishing boat Erik drove that message home over the Fourth of July weekend. It also gave pause to a couple of Americans who have fished aboard the Erik.

“Yes, it definitely could have been us,” said Ted Heckman, 64, a Scripps Ranch resident who led charters on the Erik for five years in the late 2000s and fished on it as recently as three years ago. “I can’t imagine what went through their minds to wake up at 2:30 in the morning like that and have to get into the water. Some of them were in the water 10 to 12 hours fighting for their lives. It really could have been a lot worse. It was bad enough, but from what I saw a lot of the passengers were older and not in that good a shape.”

Heckman described the Erik as a “rust bucket,” a boat that sometimes felt unsafe.

“Sometimes the hot water went out, or the air conditioning would quit, or the toilets would back up,” he said. “It was infested with c-ckroaches. Once, a mechanic, who looked to be in his 70s, had to be boated in from San Felipe to fix the boat’s engine. That took two days.”

Baja Sportfishing Inc., which charters the Erik out of San Felipe, could not be reached for comment.

Despite the problems, Heckman said a fishing trip on the Erik was the best angling value in the industry. Long-range trips out of San Diego cost about $300 a day, but he said a six-day trip on the Erik ran less than $200 a day and was always exceptional. Anglers would leave the ship twice each day on smaller boats called pangas to fish in secluded bays or coves.

George Ruble of Fallbrook led a group of 26 Oceanside Senior anglers on a trip aboard the Erik last month. He said he has led charters on the Erik and its sister ship the Andrea Lynn for the past 10 years.

“I’ve fished from Alaska to New Zealand, and there isn’t a better value or better fishing for the money than these trips out of San Felipe,” Ruble said. “I took them $25,000 worth of business this year. If you fish three to a panga, it’s $995. And if you fish two to a panga, it’s $1,395. You get 4½ days of really good fishing.”

Ruble said he never saw a life vest on the boat but did see a life raft in the upper deck this year for the first time. He said some of the anglers brought their own personal flotation devices, but he never did. He also doesn’t remember any talk of safety or what measures would be taken in case of a sinking or even a man overboard.

“I can’t even swim, so I guess I pushed my luck not taking a life preserver,” Ruble said.

Heckman said he remembered the boat being “wobbly” but couldn’t understand how it could have capsized off the Baja California coast.

The Erik, a 115-foot converted shrimp boat, sank early Sunday morning with 43 people aboard. There has been one confirmed fatality with seven U.S. citizens still missing.

“I find it interesting that all the Mexican crewmen got off and the passengers are the only ones missing or dead,” Heckman said. “I know they tended to pile a lot of stuff on the upper deck, and it looked top-heavy to begin with. But they’d add dozens of coolers and then stack the eight pangas up there. That’s a lot of weight.”

Heckman said his past experiences on the Sea of Cortez taught him the water can come up quickly in a storm.

“You learn to watch the distant haze and stay ready,” he said.

Heckman said he never remembered any safety talk at the beginning of his trips.

“I never heard any mention of life jackets and certainly never saw any,” Heckman said. “We got to the point where some of us brought our own life jackets.”

...Heckman said a typical day on the Erik began with a hearty breakfast followed by a morning of fishing from a panga. They’d break for lunch at around 11:30 a.m. and return to the mother ship. They’d eat, take a nap and then go back out around 3:30 p.m. and fish until dark. At night the captain would move the boat to another of the Sea of Cortez’s Midriff Islands for another day of fishing.

Heckman said two years ago he and his group left the Erik and switched to the Tony Reyes Sportfishing operation out of the Longfin Tackle Shop in Orange. He said that operation is much better and that he hasn’t experienced any problems.

monoloco - 7-11-2011 at 05:10 PM

It wasn't such a great of a bargain for the ones on the final voyage, a good reminder that price isn't everything.

mtgoat666 - 7-11-2011 at 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNews
“Sometimes the hot water went out, or the air conditioning would quit, or the toilets would back up,” he said. “It was infested with c-ckroaches."

...fishing trip on the Erik was the best angling value in the industry. Long-range trips out of San Diego cost about $300 a day, but he said a six-day trip on the Erik ran less than $200 a day

I have not done the SOC mother ship sport fishing trips, but done a few long trips out of pt loma.
I am happy that on trips out of pt loma i had working toilets and AC, and the boats weren't infested with c-ckroaches. that alone is worth an extra $100/day :lol:

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNews
"Once, a mechanic, who looked to be in his 70s, had to be boated in from San Felipe to fix the boat’s engine. That took two days.”

Nothing wrong with old mechanics - I have met a few young ones that were too foolish to know they didn't know everything.

When hiring a tradesman or professional, always hire the gray hair :!:

bed bugs

doradodan - 7-11-2011 at 05:55 PM

i went on that boat, killed the jurel. My bed was full of fleas. sprayed my bed and my bunk mate got em. great boat to put you on the fish and great food, bad luck, it was an accident. get what you pay for

eric

freediverbrian - 7-11-2011 at 06:35 PM

I have a place in Gonzaga, heard from some friends via email in Gonzaga that helped in the search and recovery . the Eric went down off isla wilard about 1-2 miles off cactus point . One theory is the boat was trying to get into Gonzaga Bar to hide from the wind . If the boat was heading south southeast with a wind coming from the east and tried to turn and enter Gonzaga Bay the boat would have been broad side to the wind and swell . A very bad move with the deck loaded pangas

DENNIS - 7-11-2011 at 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by doradodan
My bed was full of fleas.

Jeeezo...fleas in the bed??? Sounds as though these scows would all benefit from a good sinking.

It's ALL relative

MrBillM - 7-11-2011 at 08:45 PM

On a different scale.

Erik.

Titanic.

Different Time.

Different Place.

Same Result.

DutchmanAZ - 7-12-2011 at 08:52 AM

Here's a link with first hand accounts of the survivors...

http://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=1396&AuthorID=59052&a...

[Edited on 7-12-2011 by BajaNomad]

Martyman - 7-12-2011 at 09:05 AM

The divers were supposed to start checking out the ship yesterday. Any word on their progress?

MexicoTed - 7-12-2011 at 10:06 AM

Latest I heard on Monday afternoon was that the divers were in Baja (San Felipe?), but had not received official approval from the Dept. of Defense to dive the site yet due to the technical difficulties of a 200-300 ft dive.

Anyone down in San Felipe, the campos or Gonzaga Bay seen any divers??

No Divers Yet

bajaday - 7-12-2011 at 10:39 AM

According to the following article, no divers have been requested yet. Today is another very quiet day, no air traffic heading to or from the area.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/bay-area-news/ci_18456907?nc...

Search for missing Northern California fisherman, wait for news, continues

Navy divers expected to arrive on scene have yet to be officially requested.
By Gary Peterson
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 07/11/2011 03:51:09 PM PDT
Updated: 07/12/2011 06:19:20 AM PDT

The search continued Monday for seven fishermen missing since their chartered boat capsized and sank July 3 in the stormy Sea of Cortez. So did the wait for news.

"The only report I have is that the search has continued by land, by coastline and by air," said Juan Tintos Funcke, secretary for tourism for the state of Baja California. "It continues to be extended to the state of Sonora and the islands close to Sonora."

Sonora is across the Sea of Cortez from the Baja California town of San Felipe, from which the Erik, a 105-foot fishing boat, departed on what was supposed to be a six-day fishing excursion.

Hawaii-based U.S. Navy divers, said by a Baja California official to have been headed to the area, had not been deployed as of Monday afternoon, a Navy spokesman said.
"There has been no official request for the Navy to participate in any part of a recovery action," said the spokesman, Brian O'Rourke. "We have no divers coming in for this operation."

It is possible, O'Rourke said, that such a request is currently wending its way through official channels. One woman, whose husband is among the missing, said family members were told such an operation was in the works.

Joelle Bautista of Penngrove, whose husband Russell has yet to be found, said family members participated on a conference call Sunday with congresswomen Lynn Woolsey, Jackie Speier, Barbara Lee and officials from the Navy and Coast Guard.

"They said they were getting a dive team together to search below the water," Bautista said.

For the seventh consecutive day, a Coast Guard plane participated in an aerial search. The plane covered 1,700 square miles, according to Petty Officer Pamela Boehland, and plans to resume operations Tuesday.

Jim/Liisa - 7-12-2011 at 02:50 PM

Why is it that the Mexican goverment always think Bass Akwards??? This delay and red tape stinks. This is typical for any thing done in Mexico.

Hook - 7-12-2011 at 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrBillM
On a different scale.

Erik.

Titanic.

Different Time.

Different Place.

Same Result.

Well, we might have learned a little bit more about piloting vessels in the last hundred years. Especially about icebergs.

Hey, I think the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking will be next year, no?

Dianamo - 7-12-2011 at 07:34 PM

Coast Guard concludes search in the Sea of Cortez

https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/823/1135387/

Dianamo - 7-12-2011 at 07:43 PM

http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_18464766?ncli...

Search for missing Baja fishermen suspended
By Gary Peterson and Jeanine Benca
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 07/12/2011 06:19:14 PM PDT
Updated: 07/12/2011 07:36:09 PM PDT

The search for seven Northern California men missing since their chartered fishing boat sank in the Sea of Cortez on July 3 has officially ended, their families were told Tuesday afternoon by representatives of the Coast Guard and U.S. State Department.

The Mexican navy called off operations after nine days of combined searching with the Coast Guard, which covered 7,303 square miles of aerial reconnaissance.

The families are angry, said Frederick Han, son-in-law of one of the missing men, Don Lee of San Ramon.

Of the 43 men on board the Erik when it sank in stormy seas, 35 made it safely to shore. Seven men remain missing, including three from the Bay Area -- Lee, Gene Leong of Dublin and Brian Wong of Berkeley. One man, Leslie Yee, has been confirmed dead. A memorial for him will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Glad Tidings Church in San Francisco.

Though the Erik was located 200 feet below the surface, no victims or survivors were found. It was reported Sunday that U.S. Navy divers were being dispatched to explore the wreck, but no such deployment was authorized.

Han said families of the missing were told the Department of Defense rejected the Mexican request for dive assistance because the resources were not available.

That decision didn't sit will with Michael Leong, whose father served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

"You don't leave a brother behind," Michael Leong said. "He is a decorated veteran of this
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country. You can't leave him at the bottom of the ocean."

An emotional Elsie Wong, Brian Wong's wife, declined to comment.

Reach Gary Peterson at gpeterson@bayareanewsgroup.com, Jeanine Benca at jbenca@bayareanewsgroup.com. Staff writer Sophia Kazmi contributed to this report.

Pablito1 - 7-12-2011 at 08:53 PM

All of this time I have been thinking that the boat went down near to or south of Punta Cardon.
I was just communicating with one of the women in the Papa Fernandez camp using messenger. For sure my written Spanish isn't perfect but it's mas-o-menos. She told me that the boat is 2 miles to sea from the faro. Now that I think of it she must have meant the faro on Willard Island. At first I was thinking that she meant the faro at Mario's camp but I suppose not.
Not trying to confuse anyone, just repeating what I was just told.

Regards, Pablito

David K - 7-12-2011 at 09:33 PM

The faro north of Papa's perhaps? I understood them to be between Punta Bufeo and Isla San Luis... If they were close to an island, wouldn't they swim to the island (if they saw it) and not to the beach naer Punta Bufeo?

Pablito1 - 7-12-2011 at 09:58 PM

David,
What she said was "entre los faros y dentro el mar 2 millas". But if you check on page 1 of this thread Bonanza Bucko plainly states on the south east end of Willard Island. I suppose that means the faro on Willard. Anyway I will try to communicate with her tomorrow. She said that they hadn't had an internet signal for 3 days.

Regards, Pablito

GrOUper-GAr - 7-13-2011 at 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
One factor that greatly increases the size of the waves in the upper Cortez is current. When the current is flowing in a direction opposite to the wind large seas are generated. The size of these waves is in direct proportion to the two opposing forces.

I used to think that these waves built up locally over submerged reefs but in fact they occur in the deep main channels as well. We watched them appear and diminish every day.

So when the question is asked how a 50' wave was created in the cortez with a short fetch - that could account for some of it.

Good point Skipjack.
For people not so familiar with the Sea of Cortez' currents, here is some more inFo.

------"Jumping Water" In The Midriff-------------- from page 219 in the BAJA CATCH

When high tide comes into the Sea of Cortez, the water level rises most at the northern end. In fact, the maximum tidal range at the mouth of the Colorado river near San Felipe is in excess of 20 feet.
Down at Cabo San Lucas, tides are similar to Southern California's, with a range of about 6 feet, but as you go north up the sea of Cortez, the range increases quickly. By the time you get to the Midriff Area at Bahia de Los Angeles, the daily change in water level averages about 12 feet during periods of the new or full moon.
In the Midriff Area, there also exists a geographical anomaly that makes tidal flow important to sport anglers, sailors, and anyone else out on the water: The Sea of Cortez becomes very narrow here. Assuming an elongated hourglass shape, the Cortez averages about 80 miles nautical wide in the north and south, but in the Midriff Area, it P-nches down to 48 miles wide at Punta San Francisquito.
In addition, this 48 mile-wide "channel" is blocked by a series of islands, farther reducing the available watercourse to a net width of only 26 nautical miles. During periods of high tidal range, seawater rushes in and out of these narrow channels four times per day in order to raise and lower the level in the northern Sea of Cortez.
Tidal currents through these channels is very swift, to say the least, and they are compounded by the fact that the underwater topographyon the Baja side is spectacularly steep. There is a spot on the standard charts showing 5000 feet of water only two miles west of Isla Las Animas in Canal Salsipuedes. Since Canal Salsipuedesis only 11 miles wide at this point, the effect is as though someone has filled the Grand Canyon with sea water and is gently rocking it back and forth.
During new and full moon periods, the outer channels of the Midriff Area are filled with strange and wonderful sights, such as offshore waterfalls, whirlpools, and the famous "jumping water" off Punta Que Malo, which can be translated as "What A Bad Point". (This place is also called Punta Quemado, or "Burned Point" because of the dark rocks there.) These effects occur when abrupt changes in underwater topography disrupt the smooth laminar flow of the tidal currents, causing eddies and reverse currents to form. The currents can become deflected to such an extent that they flow up and down as much as sideways, causing high spots and low spots in the offshore water that is usually thought of as basically "flat".
Even experienced Baja skippers in larger trailer boats will be tested to the limit when the Midriff's infamous winds and these strong tidal currents decide to bump heads on the outer channels.
Fish these outerchannels early in the morning, and only when it is dead calm. There is always an afternoon breeze here, and you have to come home against it. We never go farther than Punta Soledad and nearby Isla Rocallosa, which is about four miles south. This gives us a short, 15-minute, full-power run to reach the inner bay sh2ould the wind kick up.
------
(of note: in the BAJA CATCH they are generally addressing small aluminum beach launched boats)
------
I was in these "jumping waters" off of San Francisquito once.
It was then I realized:
There is 'Boating Experience',
then there is 'SEA of CORTeZ Boating Experience'.

For those unfamiliar with the Sea of Cortez, following this story, and wondering HOW?
Dont equate the small size of this Sea, to a lack of PoWer.
-GrOUper

Pablito1 - 7-13-2011 at 06:16 AM

Grouper,
Your points are well taken about the currents at the midriff. That water really gets moving. I have always thought of the midriff's effect as to being simular to the venture of a carburator the way that it speeds up the water. The area around San Luis Gongaza also has very strong currents. At tide change I have been anchored with the motor not running and in nuteral. With the effect of the current the prop is turning like the motor is running.

That little channel between Isla San Luis and Pomo the currents rip through there like a mountain trout stream.

The more that I read and hear about this sinking the more I am amazed that anyone got out alive.

Regards, Pablito

Cypress - 7-13-2011 at 06:34 AM

With the wind blowing against the current, big waves can pile up fast.

TMW - 7-13-2011 at 05:07 PM

Any word on the divers yet? I think the divers are limited to 300 feet. Do they know for sure if the boat is in 300 or less feet of water. If over 300 feet they would need submersibles of some kind.

wessongroup - 7-13-2011 at 05:16 PM

Thanks for all that information on the ""Jumping Water" In The Midriff ... really very interesting..

Ken Bondy - 7-13-2011 at 05:20 PM

I've seen the "jumping waters" off of the north point at San Francisquito many times. A vertical "wall" of water about three feet high. Curiously, you could get very close to it from the low side. We always welcomed the phenomenon because the jurel seemed to congregate at the "step".

Roberto - 7-13-2011 at 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wessongroup
Thanks for all that information on the ""Jumping Water" In The Midriff ... really very interesting..

Ray Cannon has written quite a bit about this phenomenon. There is a famous area between the Big Island and Isla Smith that frequently exhibits this pattern. The entire Canal de Ballenas is an interesting area, to say the least. Extreme upwelling, differences in current ... when the wind picks up there (and it does so at the drop of a hat) it gets EXTREMELY interesting.

bajajurel - 7-13-2011 at 08:07 PM

Coast Guard concludes search in the Sea of Cortez. The Mexican Navy officially suspended active search operations and has no longer requested Coast Guard assistance.

http://www.uscgsanfrancisco.com/go/doc/823/469899/

Riom - 7-13-2011 at 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TW
Any word on the divers yet? I think the divers are limited to 300 feet. Do they know for sure if the boat is in 300 or less feet of water. If over 300 feet they would need submersibles of some kind.

The US Defense Department has refused to provide divers.

There is no news yet of any other dive being planned, either with divers or submersibles.

A good place for updates is the website run by the families of the missing:
http://findourfathers.com/news.html

Woooosh - 7-13-2011 at 08:28 PM

Hard to believe they can't find the boat.

mtgoat666 - 7-13-2011 at 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
Hard to believe they can't find the boat.

um, it sank.

p.s. who says they don't know location of wreck?

BajaNomad - 7-13-2011 at 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNews
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18452222

By Paul Burgarino
07/10/2011

Mexican investigators found the sunken boat last week, in about 223 feet underwater.

redhilltown - 7-13-2011 at 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy
I've seen the "jumping waters" off of the north point at San Francisquito many times. A vertical "wall" of water about three feet high. Curiously, you could get very close to it from the low side. We always welcomed the phenomenon because the jurel seemed to congregate at the "step".

It certainly is a sea to respect. I haven't seen jumping waters but even being in our Valco between Isla Alcatraz (to the north of L.A. Bay) and the shore (not far) on a clear windless day the water is like "rapids" when the tides turn and you better keep your head up.

But with the birds diving and smashing and the water churning and flashing silver it really is a rush...just gotta be careful.

Just hope they can raise the boat-find the missing-and give some closure to the families involved.

MexicoTed - 7-14-2011 at 07:38 PM

Family and friends of the missing 7 fishermen will still continue to change the DOD's mind on a dive by a military special dive team, but also they are trying to collect funds for both a private dive, most likely a submersible, and also possibly a private search by boat and plane farther south in the LA Bay area.

Anyone have any contacts in either of those possibilities?

Ted

What's the Point ?

MrBillM - 7-14-2011 at 10:36 PM

No great mystery regarding the sinking would likely be discovered other than where the remaining bodies might be.

Missing fisherman's family seeks help recovering body

BajaNews - 7-14-2011 at 11:37 PM

Quote:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fishing-308369-mein-alber...

July 14, 2011
By KYLE DALY

Betty Embree already had picked out several fishing reels for her brother's September birthday.

Albert Mein, 61, would regularly visit the lakes near his hometown of Twain Harte – about 100 miles southeast of Sacramento – as well as travel to the Bay Area to fish.

"He loved fishing," said Embree, 60, who lives in Irvine. "He loved fishing so much."

Now, Embree's not sure what to do with the new fishing reels – two Quantam Titaniums, a Zebco Gold and an Eagle Claw.

Her brother is one of seven men presumed dead after their charter fishing boat sank in the early hours of July 3 off the east coast of Baja California.

Forty-three men were aboard the fishing vessel Erik when it capsized in rough weather in the Sea of Cortez, about 60 miles south of San Felipe, Mexico. Thirty-five men were rescued by local fishermen and the Mexican Navy, or swam to nearby land. One body has been recovered.

The U.S. Coast Guard assisted the Mexican Navy in a nine-day search for the missing men. After covering more than 7,300 square miles, the search was called off Tuesday.

The men's families, however, are not giving up.

"We feel like we've lost an important link in the family," Embree said. "We just miss him every day."

Her older brother was one of 27 family and friends who climbed aboard the 115-foot vessel for a six-day fishing trip July 2-7.

Family members said Mein has made the trip to San Felipe at least 10 times before – a journey that had become an annual event.

"He was so excited to bring fish home every year," his wife Sharren Mein said.

She described her husband of 40 years as a selfless individual. When he'd return from his summer trip, he'd give a portion of his catch – last summer it was grouper and sea bass – to the neighbors.

Albert Mein's altruism was evident after news of the ship's sinking spread.

Sharren Mein said people her husband had helped over the years began showing up at her doorstep to express their support.

"He was awesome," she said. "After us being married all these years, I can still say that."

The U.S. Department of Defense turned down a U.S. State Department request earlier this week to send divers to recover the bodies.

"We are sympathetic to the loss of life, but unfortunately our limited capability for operating at this depth is currently unavailable, and will remain unavailable, in the near term," Lt. Col. Robert Ditchey of the Defense Department said in a statement. "It is our assessment that contract support is the only available option to recover the missing U.S. citizens."

The families of the missing are raising money for a privately funded dive, though they are still reaching out to elected officials in hopes of a government-backed dive.

"They deserve to come home," said Albert's niece, Cathy Lambiase of Aliso Viejo.

The families have set up a website, findourfathers.com, with information on the sinking and how to donate to the private dive effort.

Lambiese, 49, said it's likely her uncle's body is still trapped in the boat, because it capsized on its port side, which is where her uncle's cabin was.

Albert Mein's stepson Joe Jacinto traveled to Mexico from Northern California the day after the boat sank to help with the search effort. He learned from survivors that no one had seen his stepfather after the boat went down.

Albert Mein grew up in Modesto, one of 14 children. He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from December 1969 to November 1970 and in the U.S. Army Reserves as a specialist 4. He was awarded several medals, including the Bronze Star.

Lambiase spoke about her uncle's military experience, saying he was the type of person who would not leave the ship if someone were still inside.

"He would help them," she said.

----

Photo:

Albert Mein holds up a Grouper, in front of a 110-pound sea bass - he'd caught both - aboard the Erik on a Summer trip in 2010. Photo courtesy of Betty Embree.

[Edited on 7-15-2011 by BajaNews]

albert-mein-02.jpg - 47kB

BajaNews - 7-14-2011 at 11:41 PM

Four fishermen from a small village south of San Felipe, Mexico, claimed to have pulled nine survivors and one body from the water on the afternoon of July 3. Left to right: Martin Becerra Ramires, Leonel Bravo Gamboa, Victor Jonatan Gastelum and Juan Tco Becerra Ruiz. Joe Jacinto, far right, of Northern California and his friend Raul Rubio arrived later to help with the search.

Photo courtesy of Joe Jacinto

angeles-del-mar-ix.jpg - 33kB

dizzyspots - 7-15-2011 at 06:34 AM

Could these men not be honored and their families brought a little closer to "closure" by a formal. although posthumous "burial at sea"...as avid fisherman...would this not be appropriate???

MexicoTed - 7-15-2011 at 12:59 PM

I just spoke with some family members and they are still hopeful that some ofthe missing may be found. They are looking for private pilots they can hire to fly the coastline and islands from Gonzaga to LA Bay. Anyone know of anyone or have any ideas??
Ted

capt. mike - 7-15-2011 at 03:01 PM

only guy legally chartered and equipped to do aerial search Ted is Kevin Warren owner of baja
airventures.
you can call his office in Chula Vista.
i'd help but i am tied up and can't get away till august.

Aerial Searches

bajaguy - 7-15-2011 at 05:20 PM

To do a proper aerial search you should have a high winged aircraft (C-182) and three people:

Pilot - only duty is to fly (and not look for people on the ground!!!!)

Right front observer - should be flight qualified (as a backup). Works radios and gps, looks out the right side of aircraft, maintains search grid map.

Left rear observer (sits behind pilot) - looks out left side of aircraft, takes photos, maintains log, monitors flight crew (ensures pilot flies the acft and is not searching for people on the ground).

Flight crews should have some knowledge of search patterns used to locate ground targets.

Ahab - 7-16-2011 at 10:59 AM

I've sailed the Sea of Cortez for many years with a 28' sloop. Spent a lot of time on pangas and group fishing boats. Seen a lot of strange things with weather and sea so I will not presume to pass judgement until all the facts are in. The several times i've been on the Erik the fish hold hatch was kept closed unless in use because they wanted to keep the ice from melting too quickly. Our group from the Phoenix area chartered the Erik on an exclusive basis and never had the problems some have claimed here. The port holes below decks were welded shut because the cabins were air conditioned. Amid ships in the open companionway, the engine room hatch starboard side was always open as was the ladderway going below. I do grieve for the Erik and any who still may be aboard her.

Paulina - 7-16-2011 at 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MexicoTed
Family and friends of the missing 7 fishermen will still continue to change the DOD's mind on a dive by a military special dive team, but also they are trying to collect funds for both a private dive, most likely a submersible, and also possibly a private search by boat and plane farther south in the LA Bay area.

Anyone have any contacts in either of those possibilities?

Ted

I have contributed towards their search by donating through Paypal. Info at findourfathers.com

I wish them the best.

P>*)))>{

bajajurel - 7-16-2011 at 10:00 PM

If you can, read the article that came out in Western Outdoor News this week. They had interviews with several of the survivors. It will open your eyes!

Stickers - 7-16-2011 at 11:15 PM

Here it is:

http://www.wonews.com/t-VesselErikSinks110708.aspx

bullmello - 7-17-2011 at 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajurel
If you can, read the article that came out in Western Outdoor News this week. They had interviews with several of the survivors. It will open your eyes!

Some of my worst fears were confirmed by the eyewitness survivor accounts in that article. I'm still in a quandary regarding the inability of the captain to keep the bow pointed directly into the waves.

Sorry, but it is still my contention that this boat was run by a shoddy operation with little concern for safety. Hats off to the guys on this trip with the forethought to bring their own life vests. That was a wise decision, especially considering this operation.

Wonder why officials boarded the boat at SF before departure? Wonder if we will ever really know.

Glad to see WON is doing a good job reporting this story and thanks to bajajurel and Stickers for posting it here.

Dave - 7-17-2011 at 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajurel
If you can, read the article that came out in Western Outdoor News this week. They had interviews with several of the survivors. It will open your eyes!

"It was gross negligence. The more you dissect it, the more you see that the crew was not trained in anything. No communication to the crew by the captain, not enough life jackets, no radio call, and no attempt by the crew to wake up the passengers. We just want to keep the pressure on, to find the guys, and to make sure people know what happened on that boat and why it happened.”

Skipjack Joe - 7-17-2011 at 10:29 PM

There should be jail time for someone for all this.

Not for those who were unable to handle the boat properly but for those who left the passengers to fend for themselves as it went down. There wasn't even an attempt to provide them with life vests or warn them of the danger. Every crew member had a life vest but nothing for the passengers? That's criminal.

Hopefully justice will be served rather than a lot of finger pointing and "I didn't know"s . Somebody is responsible.

I'm sure there will be many accounts to follow.

Friends of missing Baja fishermen push for dive team

BajaNews - 7-19-2011 at 09:55 PM

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110718/ARTICLES/11071...

By LORI A. CARTER
July 18, 2011

Friends of a Petaluma man missing since a July 3 boating disaster off the Baja California coast are working to fund a private dive to the sunken boat.

Lorie Goldbeck, a friend of fisherman Shawn Chaddock, said Monday she and others also are trying to pressure elected officials to call for a U.S. Coast Guard “salvage dive” to the Erik, a 105-foot chartered fishing boat that sank during a fierce nighttime storm in the Sea of Cortez.

Chaddock, 49, an auto mechanic, and retired Pacific Bell worker Russ Bautista, 60, of Penngrove are among seven Americans still unaccounted for after the sinking.

Goldbeck said if authorities approve a search of the vessel before a private dive team can be arranged, all money raised will be split between the families of the seven missing men. The other five are from the greater Bay Area.

“Our hope is the Coast Guard will do a salvage dive of the boat, but we have no idea when that might be,” Goldbeck said Monday.

The Coast Guard and Mexican Navy covered more than 7,000 square miles during a nine-day search for survivors. But with no success, authorities officially suspended the search July 12.

Goldbeck is working with the families and friends of the other missing men to hold fundraisers at restaurants, mostly in the South Bay so far, to pay for a private dive team.

They started an online petition and a web site - http://www.findourfathers.com - to pressure officials to keep looking. Goldbeck said about $14,000 has been raised.

Bautista and Chaddock were with a group of six Sonoma County men who drove to Baja California for what was supposed to be a six-day fishing adventure over the Fourth of July holiday. The four other Sonoma County men were rescued after the sinking.

Goldbeck said she will distribute fliers at this week's Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market seeking help. Anyone wishing to help or donate can reach Goldbeck 707-292-7200 or send email to goldbecks@sbcglobal.net.

Families seek dive for 7 missing Americans on sunken Mexican boat

BajaNews - 7-27-2011 at 11:04 PM

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/07/27/california.families.boa...

By Michael Martinez
July 27, 2011

Los Angeles (CNN) -- More than three weeks after seven California men went missing when the fishing vessel Erik sank in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, the families of the missing Americans are expressing anger with the U.S. and Mexican governments for not conducting a dive to find the sunken boat -- and possibly the bodies entombed beneath the sea.

The sinking of the 115-foot sport fishing boat during a predawn storm on July 3 captured widespread attention because the 27 passengers were nearly all friends and acquaintances who fished on the Erik as an annual outing, some for as long as 15 years or so. All were from northern California, relatives said.

Only five of them were first-timers on a five-night trip aboard the Erik, during which the sportsmen would venture deep into the sea aboard smaller pangas in search of yellowfin tuna and dorado, relatives said. Most of the 27 were Asian-American men from the San Francisco Bay area and nearby, relatives said.

Those close ties heightened the depth of the tragedy, especially as U.S. and Mexican authorities spent nine days searching the vast expanse of the Sea of Cortez.

In addition to the seven missing men, Leslie Yee, 63, died in the incident. Among the survivors, several were rescued from a Mexican beach. One person was rescued from a coastal island.

The families have expressed frustration with the investigation. A State Department official said the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are helping Mexican authorities with the probe.

Still, the families say they are disturbed that there was apparently no mayday issued during the sinking of the Erik. Also, the boat apparently didn't carry a satellite tracking device that's often deployed when a boat is in distress, relatives say.

In their social media and website campaign to attract public attention to their plight, the families have become so exasperated with the two governments' apparent reluctance to conduct a dive 200 feet beneath the sea that they are trying to raise money to execute a privately funded dive -- if they can raise enough funds on their "Find Our Fathers" website and if the Mexican government will allow the dive.

The families are haunted by unanswered questions, their representatives say: Did the 16-member crew abandon ship without trying to help the passengers? Did the vessel have enough life preservers? Why did it take 16 hours before a search and rescue was launched?

"We don't want any other families to go through the pain we went through. This should not have happened at all," said May Lee of San Ramon, California. Her husband, Don, 62, an assistant parts manager at General Motors in nearby San Leandro, is among the seven missing.

"There's still a little bit of me that's hoping my husband is on some remote little island with some of his buddies," Lee told CNN on Tuesday.

But the families have become demoralized. On Sunday, they will gather for the first time since the accident; at a hotel in northern California, Lee said.

"Some of them are very depressed, but I'm doing my darnedest to try to bring people together. I'm trying to give them as much hope as possible, to make sure we're hanging on," Lee said.

In regular conference calls with the State Department as recently as Friday, the families have asked for the U.S. military to conduct a dive. Most recently, they have pressed U.S. officials to ask the governor of Baja California to fund a dive -- or at least to grant permission for the American families to carry out a private dive.

The whereabouts of the sunken Erik are unknown, and the boat could be drifting somewhere on the sea bed, said Lee's daughter, Mandi Lee-Han, a 34-year-old preschool teacher. The boat capsized 60 miles south of San Felipe, Mexico, about two miles offshore, during the first night of the trip.

A State Department official said the U.S. Department of Defense doesn't have the capability or equipment to do a deepwater dive and search for the fishing boat -- and it would have to pay for a private contract to do so. The official asked not to be identified, saying he wasn't authorized to speak to the media on the matter.

The details of the Coast Guard's and NTSB's joining the Mexican investigation into the Erik are being worked out, the official told CNN Tuesday.

"When they were on the call," the official said about the families, "we expressed condolences for the loss of life. Unfortunately, the DOD has limited capability to operate at that depth" beneath the sea in a dive and search.

"When a U.S. citizen goes missing in a foreign country, the host government takes the lead in search and recovery efforts, often with the help of U.S. government agencies, such as the U.S. Coast Guard, who have the necessary experience and mandate," the official said. "The Department of State will monitor such efforts and work to ensure that the host government does its utmost to locate the missing person, but lacks the capacity and authority to conduct search and rescue operations."

But the families aren't satisfied.

"It feels as though the Mexican navy is not really sharing with them what is happening," Lee-Han told CNN.

The six other missing men are Russell Bautista of Penngrove, California; Shawn Chaddock of Petaluma, Calif.; Mark Dorland of Twain Harte, California; Gene Leong of Dublin, California; Brian Wong of Berkeley, California; and Albert Mein, 62, a retired AT&T manager, of Twain Harte.

Mein was also Don Lee's brother-in-law, said May Lee, who works in the city hall of Fremont, California, overseeing a first-time homebuyer program and housing ordinances.

Families have received messages on their Facebook page that local Mexicans have taken the initiative to search coastal islands for the missing seven Americans, posting reports on which islands they've searched.

"This grassroot effort is someone knows someone knows someone," said Lee-Han.

She said the families are distressed to learn of what they describe as safety shortcomings aboard the Erik.

"Had we known there were all these problems in Mexico, we wouldn't have sent my father on this trip. We felt blindsided to some degree," Lee-Han said.

"What we're really trying to achieve here is to honor my father and all of the men that deserve to come back to their families," Lee-Han said.

The families want the Erik found -- to see what safety problems the vessel may have had, relatives said.

"We most certainly don't want to harm the economy in Mexico, but at the same time, we want assurance from Mexico that if something is going to happen, that they're going to be responsible for whatever that may be," Lee-Han said. "If there is an investigation that's going to take place, we would hope that the Mexican government would do a thorough investigation, and that would include a dive."

bent-rim - 8-3-2011 at 09:30 AM

One of the missing fishermen, Don Lee, tackle box was returned to his family in San Ramon yesterday. Several Mexican fisherman found the tackle box while netting crabs, they recognized the name and turned the tackle box over to the caretaker of a local house. The owner's of the house, from Pleasenton, returned the box to Lee's family at a fund raiser at a Chevy's restaurant to raise funds to hire divers to try to find the wreckage of the Erik. The family was very grateful for the return of the tackle box. The Chevy's restaurant was one of five local restaurants holding a fundraiser for the families of the missing fishermen Tuesday night.

Uh, Yeah, Sure

MrBillM - 8-3-2011 at 07:55 PM

"If there is an investigation that's going to take place, we would hope that the Mexican government would do a thorough investigation, and that would include a dive."

And, an Ant CAN Move a Rubber-Tree Plant.

BajaNomad - 12-11-2011 at 12:28 AM

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=56777

The ERIK

southaz - 6-14-2012 at 03:26 PM

The ERIK has been found. Here is an article from the San Felipe area website:

http://sanfelipe.com.mx/2012/06/14/the-sunken-sport-fishing-...

thebajarunner - 6-14-2012 at 03:40 PM

They held a memorial for one of the missing men (I believe it was Leong) last month here in Oakdale at one of the large churches.
I did not attend, but drove by that afternoon and there were many cars in the parking lot.
Very sad.

burnrope - 6-14-2012 at 03:50 PM

Given the ingenuity of Mexicans, I'm sure it will be sea worthy in no time.

woody with a view - 6-14-2012 at 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by southaz
The ERIK has been found. Here is an article from the San Felipe area website:

http://sanfelipe.com.mx/2012/06/14/the-sunken-sport-fishing-...

awesome! hopefully the families will get a measure of closure. one way or the other.

David K - 6-14-2012 at 04:40 PM

That was a night we won't forget... when a most beautiful day and early evening was hit by the devil wind, and it didn't stop until morning! That Baja Warrior rode his wave runner out to the Erik as it motored by Shell Island and Bahia Santa Maria that beautiful day, was ... (not sure of the right word to use) mystical?

ERIK has been found.

rglansing - 6-15-2012 at 01:10 PM

News from the San Felipe web site says the ERIK has been FOUND.

http://sanfelipe.com.mx/2012/06/14/the-sunken-sport-fishing-...

bajajurel - 6-15-2012 at 02:53 PM

San Diego Union Tribune posting -

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jun/14/vessel-that-capsi...

Nearly a year after the sinking of a charter fishing vessel in the Gulf of California south of San Felipe, family members of seven missing U.S. men say they have found the wreckage, a high-ranking Baja California official said Thursday.

The missing men were all passengers aboard the 115-foot vessel Erik, which capsized July 3 in a sudden storm with 43 people on board. Thirty-five people survived, including the 16-member crew. One passenger, Leslie K. Yee, was found dead, but seven others were never accounted for. Most of the passengers were from the San Francisco Bay area, friends who had driven down for what was to be a six-day fishing trip.

The state official would not give his name because he was not an authorized spokesman for the families. He said that the wreckage had been found 48 meters—more than 150 feet—beneath the surface by private divers hired by the families to conduct a search in the vicinity of where the boat sank about 60 miles south of San Felipe.

The Mexican Navy does not have equipment to dive that deep, the official said, but had provided a vessel o assist with the search.

The Contra Costa Times reported the discovery Thursday, quoting family members of the missing men.

southaz - 6-16-2012 at 11:45 AM

Here's more news on the ERIK:

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20869435/how-man...

BornFisher - 6-16-2012 at 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by southaz
Here's more news on the ERIK:

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20869435/how-man...

Great article, thanks

Sunken Fishing Boat Erik Found

CortezBlue - 6-17-2012 at 08:03 PM

http://sanfelipe.com.mx/2012/06/14/the-sunken-sport-fishing-...

Here is the link to sanfelipe.com website and the article regarding the Erik

Bob H - 6-17-2012 at 08:44 PM

WOW! Unbelievable....

CortezBlue - 6-17-2012 at 09:16 PM

I hope this brings some kind of comfort to the family's who lost family members.

Erik vessel has renewed interest by some tech divers

steekers - 7-16-2019 at 10:29 PM

I am getting word from some tech divers that there is a renewed interest to dive this wreak. I am also told that their is a small marker buoy tethered to the wreck to prevent the trawlers from loosing more nets. Do the locals know where the wreck is located?

JZ - 7-16-2019 at 10:44 PM

Remember where I was that night. We were on Lake Mead. 4th of July weekend.

It was early evening. Was pulling my daughter on skis. When we stopped I felt the wind kick up and could see the black clouds in the distance to the West. Told her to get on the boat and we started heading back.

It went from very calm to 5-6 foot waves in about 15 mins. Have never seen anything like that in my lifetime of boating, and 10+ years on Mead. We made it 4-5 miles back to the marina, but the storm had a couple house boats up against the rocks and sank several boats.

Guess it was the same storm system that hit SF 350 miles to the South.

[Edited on 7-17-2019 by JZ]

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