EVERETT, Wash. — Over the weekend, Everett Police were able to recover the bodies of two of the three boaters who went missing when their boat sunk.
On May 21, a shrimping boat started taking on water and eventually sunk off Possession Sound.
Four people were plunged into the water. One of those people was able to be rescued, but the other three were missing.
Crews launched a search for them and then later that day, deemed it a recovery mission.
The boat was found a day later, but the people who went down with it were not located.
The individuals initially missing were the boat owner, a man in his 60s, and his son, who was in his 20s. The older man’s coworker, a woman in her 40s, was also missing.
On May 31, 10 days after the initial sinking, the boat’s owner and his coworker were recovered. Their bodies were turned over to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.
They were found in the boat about 165 feet underwater.
The body of the boat owner’s son has yet to be located.
Everett Police were assisted in the recovery mission by the Seattle Police Harbor Patrol and Pierce County Marine Operations. They also utilized non-profit Innerspace Exploration Team, whose remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was able to get an underwater view of the boat and ultimately, locate the two victims.
In a statement, Everett Police Chief John DeRousse:
“We are grateful for the unwavering dedication and collaboration demonstrated by the Everett Police Marine Unit, Seattle Police Harbor Patrol, Pierce County Marine Operations, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Innerspace Exploration Team. The collective efforts of these organizations have brought a measure of solace to the grieving family by recovering two of the three missing individuals from the tragic incident in Possession Sound. While we continue to hope for the recovery of the third, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to all involved for their commitment to this challenging mission. In addition, the initial response from the Everett Fire Department, South County Fire Authority, Port of Everett and the US Coast Guard played important roles in the early stages of this deployment, and gave the boating public reassurance that when emergencies occur on the water there is a large-scale collaborative response.”
It’s still unknown what caused the boat to sink.
©2025 Cox Media Group
