The Region - News from June 9, 1986

Seven crew members were rescued after their fishing boat from San Pedro took on water and eventually sank 15 miles east of the eastern tip of San Clemente Island. The 68-foot purse seiner St. Joseph started to take on water through the propeller shaft and the crew put out a call for help, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Tom Honke said. The Coast Guard delivered four pumps by helicopter. Another fishing boat, the Pioneer, took three of the seven crew members off the disabled vessel, Honke said. Shortly before the boat sank, the remaining crew members jumped into the water and swam to the Maria T, another fishing boat. A Coast Guard cutter retrieved a lot of debris, but the $125,000 craft was considered a total loss because it would be extremely difficult to raise it from the 3,600 feet of water where it went down, Honke said. There were no injuries.