One Rescued, Massive Search Continues After Tulalip Fisheries Boat Capsizes Off Jetty Island

Editor’s Update 1:15 PM Wednesday. The search continues and has transitioned from rescue to recovery. The Tulalip Tribes have identified the missing officer as Charlie Cortez. The boat operator was identified as officer Shawn Edge. Both went into the water after a rogue wave hit their vessel. Edge was recovered about three miles away from where the incident occurred. He was transported to Providence Regional Medical Center and is expected to recover. Private boats, fishing vessels and craft from multiple law enforcement and fire and rescue companies in Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties continue to search for Charlie Cortez.

Editor’s Update 8:30 AM Wednesday: The search continues for the missing officer, a 29-year-old Tulalip Tribal Police Officer. Tulalip Bay Fire is now coordinating the search effort from Tulalip Bay Marina.

As of 1:30 AM Wednesday November 18th here is what we know after a Tulalip Fisheries Boat took a hit from a wave and capsized off Jetty Island.

Around 9 PM Tuesday evening Snohomish 911 received reports of a boat that had flipped over in the water somewhere off Jetty Island.

There were two people reported to have been thrown off the boat into the water. The boat belonged to the Tulalip Tribes and had two fisheries officers on board. Both were presumed to be wearing life jackets.

According to reports provided to MyEverettNews.com by Everett Fire, the two fisheries officers had just finished assisting a vessel in distress off Jetty Island when their boat was hit by a rouge wave and flipped sending the officers into the water. Radio contact was made with one of the officers.

Both Marine 1 and Marine 2 launched with police and firefighters from Everett. The Navy and Coast Guard also launched boats as well as a boat with Sheriff’s divers from Snohomish County Search and Rescue.

Another boat came from Camano Island Fire and Rescue and there were at least a dozen private boats with Tulalip tribal members joining in the search. There was also a helicopter from the Coast Guard and a second helicopter based on Whidbey Island.

In addition to searching from the air and water, crews from Everett Fire landed on Jetty Island and worked a search of the perimeter of the Island.

Shortly after 11 PM the capsized boat was spotted by the Coast Guard Helicopter off Jetty Island. Marine 2 was able to secure a line to the boat. About 45 minutes later a private vessel located one of the fisheries officers floating in the water south of the Hat Island Marina.

The officer was wearing a life jacket and was able to talk with the crew on the private vessel. They took the officer to the Tulalip Marina where a Marysville Medic unit began treatment for hypothermia and transported the officer to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. We have no word at this time on his condition.

At this writing there are about a dozen boats operated by both emergency crews and private vessels still searching for the second fisheries officer. Crews with Hat Island Fire are searching the shoreline around the island. A secondary search and command post has been established at the Tulalip Marina and a drone is being brought in to assist there. The search is expected to continue for several hours.

We’ll update as more information is made available.