Boating Accident Everett WA: Shrimp Boat Sinks in Possession Sound, 3 Missing:

Timeline of the Possession Sound Shrimp Boat Sinking:

On Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2025, four people set out shrimping aboard a 26-foot shrimping vessel in Possession Sound near Everett and Mukilteo. The area is commonly used by local shrimpers during the spring season opener, and conditions appeared manageable for an afternoon on the water.

A 26-foot shrimping vessel sank on May 21. Around 1 p.m. on that day, the boat began taking on water while the crew was actively shrimping. The situation deteriorated rapidly. Within minutes, the boat sinking scenario became reality, and the vessel went under before a full rescue could be organized.

Key details of the timeline:

• ~1:00 p.m., May 21 – The vessel begins taking on water northeast of Mukilteo, off Everett’s waterfront.
• Minutes later – The boat submerges. Emergency calls go out. A man in his 50s ends up in the water and is spotted by nearby boaters.
• Early afternoon – Multiple agencies respond, launching an immediate search across Possession Sound.

The exact location was in waters with steep underwater drop-offs, where depths reach well over 100 feet not far from shore. Water temperature in late May in this part of Puget Sound is typically between 50°F and 55°F, cold enough to cause rapid onset hypothermia and significantly limit survival time for anyone without a life jacket or immersion suit.

Missing Boaters and Survivor: Who Was on Board?

Four people were aboard the vessel that afternoon:

Three people were reported missing after the boat sank: the man in his 60s, the man in his 20s, and the woman in her 40s. The man in his 50s was the sole person rescued from the water.

Everett police and the coast guard treated the case as a probable drowning event after hours of unsuccessful rescue efforts. The multigenerational nature of the trip, a father and his adult son going out shrimping together alongside friends, underscores the deeply personal loss at the center of this incident.

Some details about family relationships and identities have been withheld by authorities out of respect for the families and due to the ongoing investigation.

Rescue of the Surviving Boater:

After the vessel went under in Possession Sound, the man in his 50s was spotted in the water by passing boaters who acted as a good samaritan crew, pulling him from the cold water. One man in his 50s was rescued and reported uninjured after the incident, though he was evaluated for cold-water exposure.

He was transported to shore and then taken to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett for further medical assessment. Initial reports indicated he did not sustain serious physical injuries, but the psychological trauma of witnessing the boat rescue scenario and losing companions was significant.

His account of the events is expected to be crucial for investigators reconstructing what happened in the moments before and during the sinking. Immediate assistance from nearby mariners, including boat rescue efforts by private boaters, often makes the difference between life and death in fast-developing marine emergencies.

Multi-Agency Search, Coast Guard Response, and Recovery Efforts:

Within minutes of the first emergency call, a rapid deployment of resources flooded the scene. The agencies involved included:

• Everett police marine unit.
• Everett fire department (everett fire response teams).
• U.S. Coast Guard (station seattle and air station port angeles assets).
• Washington department of Fish and Wildlife officers.
• Snohomish County marine operations.

Search assets included rescue swimmers, dive teams, marine patrol boats, drones, and helicopters sweeping Possession Sound. The coast guard broadcast alerts to all mariners in the area to keep a sharp lookout for debris or missing people in the water and to report sightings immediately.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its active search on May 21 after determining that survival was no longer likely given the water temperature, elapsed time, and conditions. By May 22, the mission transitioned from search-and-rescue to a recovery effort. The depth (exceeding 100 feet offshore in the accident area) and poor visibility at the bottom of Possession Sound near the accident site made diving hazardous and complicated every phase of the operation.

Submerged Vessel Located: Two Bodies Recovered:

Finding the vessel was the next critical step. A remotely operated vehicle from the Innerspace Exploration Team located the shrimp boat resting about 165 feet below the surface of Possession Sound. The boat was found upside down 165 feet underwater.

The recovery operation involved multiple agencies including the coast guard. Seattle police harbor patrol and pierce county marine operations collaborated with the Everett police marine unit during the underwater operation. Additional equipment was brought in, and the Everett police dive team coordinated closely with ROV operators.

A remotely operated vehicle was used to search the boat’s interior before any human divers entered the water.

On May 31, 2025, two bodies were recovered from 165 feet deep water:

• The boat owner, a man in his 60s, was recovered from the vessel.
• A woman in her 40s was also recovered from the vessel.

Two bodies were recovered 165 feet underwater after crews managed to raise the boat from the seafloor to shallower waters at approximately 35 feet, where dive teams could more safely access and inspect the vessel.

Ongoing Search for the Third Missing Boater:

The third missing person, the man in his 20s, was not found inside the boat’s interior or anywhere near the wreck. A man in his 20s remains missing and is presumed drowned.

Search efforts shifted to:

• Shoreline and surface recovery patrols along Everett, Mukilteo, and Whidbey Island coasts.
• Monitoring tidal patterns and currents in Possession Sound that influence where missing persons or debris may eventually surface.
• Public appeals from everett police and the coast guard asking waterfront residents, marinas, and local boaters to report any potential remains or personal items.

In similar cases, remains may be discovered days or even weeks later, sometimes by recreational boaters or beach walkers. The families of three missing boaters, now reduced to one missing person still unaccounted for, continue to wait for closure. The emotional toll on families when a loved one’s body has not been recovered is immense and ongoing.

Authorities have noted the department’s good fortune in recovering two of the three victims, given the extreme depth and challenging conditions, but acknowledge the search remains active for the missing boater.

Cause of the Everett Shrimp Boat Accident: What We Know and Don’t Know:

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. As of the most recent public reports, no definitive explanation has been given for why the vessel sank.

Potential factors investigators will examine include:

• Hull integrity and any structural failures.
• Bilge pump condition and whether pumps were overwhelmed or malfunctioning.
• Overloading from passengers, shrimp pots, bait, coolers, and other gear.
• Shrimping gear setup and whether removing derelict gear or handling heavy equipment destabilized the boat.
• Mechanical failures in engine or plumbing systems.

The role of safety equipment is also central to the inquiry. Investigators will look at whether life jackets were available and worn, whether emergency flares and a working VHF radio were on board, and whether everyone had access to flotation when the boat began taking on water.

Regular boat maintenance is crucial to prevent malfunction, and maintenance records for the vessel will be part of the investigation file. Weather and sea conditions, operator experience, and possible impairment are standard components of any marine accident inquiry.

Even when exact causes remain uncertain, families may still pursue civil claims based on negligence, defective equipment, or other legal theories. The circumstances surrounding the sinking will continue to emerge as the investigation progresses.