Father of 3 Missing Days After Crabbing Boat Sinks in Wash. Bay: 'He's Still Out There,' Wife Says
A search is ongoing for father of three who went missing in the waters off Washington after his crabbing boat capsized over the weekend.
Bryson Fitch and two other men were working near Willipa Bay on Sunday when the vessel began to sink, according to NBC affiliate KING-TV.
The U.S. Coast Guard said watchstanders with the 13th district were alerted to the emergency near the entrance to Willapa Bay around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Two of the three men were rescued by an air crew later that evening, according to a press release from the Coast Guard.
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Fitch still remains missing as of Thursday. But his wife McKenzie Salas and sister Kelsea Broddy are determined to find him, KING-TV reported.
"We know he's still out there, and we're not gonna leave him out there, so we need eyes on every shoreline," Salas told the outlet, adding, "We're just spread thin and we just need help and eyes everywhere."
"We wanna bring him home," Broddy said, per the report.
Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.Rescue teams sprang into action Sunday after one of the victim's spouses dialed 911 "to report an emergency aboard the vessel," according to a Coast Guard press release.
The boat — described by authorities as a 46-foot vessel named Ethel May — may have encountered strong waves before it capsized, according to the Chinook Observer.
Broddy told KING-TV that her brother "made it to the raft along with the other two passengers" before he was "taken by the wave" that crashed into them.
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An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Astoria was able to rescue two crewmen from a life raft at about 8:10 p.m., according to the Observer. Both victims were transported to a nearby hospital following the rescue, per the report.
The search continues for Fitch, who is considered "the sole provider for his family," according to a GoFundMe campaign for his family. Fitch is a father of three young children: Ryder, 6, Paisley, 4, and Capri, 4 months.
The Coast Guard said it suspended its search for the missing crabber Monday evening after crews scoured 290 square miles in 15 hours without finding a trace of the remaining victim.
Pieces of the Ethel May have now started to wash ashore. "There's huge chunks of boat everywhere now," Salas told KING-TV.
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The Pacific County Sheriff's Office said it is still assisting in the search for Fitch along the coastline. On Wednesday, the agency said crews helped search "some harder to reach coastal areas" that are not accessible by vehicles.
"Bryson is a fighter," Salas told KING-TV. "If there is anyone, it would be him to survive this."
