The Coast Guard is honoring four of its crew members who were lost at sea 23 years ago off the coast of San Mendocino, California.
The crew was lost June 8, 1997, in an effort to rescue mariners in distress approximately 60 miles west of Cape Mendocino and is being remembered today during a memorial service being streamed on social media.
"It is important for us to remember this crew and honor their sacrifice by continuing to stand the watch," said Capt. Mark Hiigel, the Sector Humboldt Bay commander, in a release.
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Crewing the Sector Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopter were: Lt. Jeffrey F. Crane, 35, of Marshfield, Massachusetts; Lt. j.g. Charles W. Thigpen IV, 26, of Riverside; Petty Officer 3rd Class Richard L. Hughes, 33, of Black Canyon, Arizona; and Petty Officer 3rd Class James G.Caine, 26, of Hinesville, Georgia.
Canadian sailing vessel, Ezara-2, first reported it had five people aboard and their vessel had become disabled in 25-foot seas and 45-knot winds.
Two Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopters, a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento HC-130 Hercules aircraft and the Coast Guard Cutter Edisto responded to the call.
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The helicopters provided the Ezara-2 with radios and a sea anchor, which stabilized the sailing vessel. Some of the Ezara-2's crew members were injured and the boat was damaged due to heavy seas, forcing the Ezara-2 crew to abandon ship into a life raft, the release states.
The CG-6549 crew began an instrument-guided approach to the last known position of the life raft when the HC-130 lost sight and communications with the helicopter in the darkness and heavy winds.
The Edisto arrived on scene and recovered all of the Ezara-2's survivors from the life raft and began searching for the CG-6549.
Aircraft crews from Coast Guard Air Stations North Bend and Astoria, Navy P-3 patrol planes and Air Force H"It is important for us to remember this crew and honor their sacrifice by continuing to stand the watch," said Capt. Mark Hiigel, the Sector Humboldt Bay commander.
Rescue airplanes joined in the effort. One the water, Coast Guard Cutters Sapelo, Buttonwood, Steadfast and Boutwell aided in the search. Scattered debris from the helicopter was located in the area and the main fuselage was recovered on the ocean floor over a month later.
The memorial service can be viewed on the Sector Humboldt Bay Facebook page.