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CNN Live Saturday
Interview With Anthony Juarez
Aired June 14, 2003 - 14:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: More now on breaking story we are following for you off the coast of Oregon. A 32-foot charter fishing boat capsized earlier today, with about 19 people on board. About 30 minutes ago we reported that at least nine people have been confirmed dead. Let's bring on the telephone with us now Anthony Juarez, petty officer of public affairs for the U.S. Coast Guard. And Petty Officer Juarez, can you update us now on the death toll?
PETTY OFFICER ANTHONY JUAREZ, COAST GUARD: Yes, Fredricka. First of all the Coast Guard would like to express their sympathy and condolences to all the families that have lost loved ones in this unfortunate tragedy. We believe nine people have died today. And there were 19 people in the water, and 18 were rescued and we are still looking for one.
WHITFIELD: And what has hampered this rescue effort? I understand the waters are quite choppy out there.
JUAREZ: Yes, at the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) conditions, there are 10 to 15 foot swells, so it's quite difficult to retrieve people from the water, also it's a 58-degree water temperature.
WHITFIELD: And what's your understanding as to what happened? I saw earlier reports that indicated this boat may have hit a wave incorrectly and that caused it to capsize. What more can you tell us about that, or what you discovered?
JUAREZ: I could not speculate, but I believe the Marine Safety Office of Portland will be conducting the investigation.
WHITFIELD: Now, this is a charter boat. Is this something that was pretty common practice, that a large number of people, presumably from the same group, might rent or charter a boat like this for fishing expeditions?
JUAREZ: Yes, ma'am, the Pacific Northwest is very popular for the sport fishing of salmon out there.
WHITFIELD: What do you know about the 19 people on board? I saw some earlier reports that many of them happened to be individual families?
JUAREZ: I do not know. All I know they were taken, the ones rescued were taken to Tillamook County General Hospital out in Oregon.
WHITFIELD: OK. And as we know right now, ages range between 13 and 48, and so far Petty Officer Juarez, you are confirming for us, again, that the death toll thus far is nine, there were 19 in all on board, this 32-foot charter fishing boat which capsized not long ago earlier today off the coast of Oregon. Thanks very much for joining us, we appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 14, 2003 - 14:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: More now on breaking story we are following for you off the coast of Oregon. A 32-foot charter fishing boat capsized earlier today, with about 19 people on board. About 30 minutes ago we reported that at least nine people have been confirmed dead. Let's bring on the telephone with us now Anthony Juarez, petty officer of public affairs for the U.S. Coast Guard. And Petty Officer Juarez, can you update us now on the death toll?
PETTY OFFICER ANTHONY JUAREZ, COAST GUARD: Yes, Fredricka. First of all the Coast Guard would like to express their sympathy and condolences to all the families that have lost loved ones in this unfortunate tragedy. We believe nine people have died today. And there were 19 people in the water, and 18 were rescued and we are still looking for one.
WHITFIELD: And what has hampered this rescue effort? I understand the waters are quite choppy out there.
JUAREZ: Yes, at the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) conditions, there are 10 to 15 foot swells, so it's quite difficult to retrieve people from the water, also it's a 58-degree water temperature.
WHITFIELD: And what's your understanding as to what happened? I saw earlier reports that indicated this boat may have hit a wave incorrectly and that caused it to capsize. What more can you tell us about that, or what you discovered?
JUAREZ: I could not speculate, but I believe the Marine Safety Office of Portland will be conducting the investigation.
WHITFIELD: Now, this is a charter boat. Is this something that was pretty common practice, that a large number of people, presumably from the same group, might rent or charter a boat like this for fishing expeditions?
JUAREZ: Yes, ma'am, the Pacific Northwest is very popular for the sport fishing of salmon out there.
WHITFIELD: What do you know about the 19 people on board? I saw some earlier reports that many of them happened to be individual families?
JUAREZ: I do not know. All I know they were taken, the ones rescued were taken to Tillamook County General Hospital out in Oregon.
WHITFIELD: OK. And as we know right now, ages range between 13 and 48, and so far Petty Officer Juarez, you are confirming for us, again, that the death toll thus far is nine, there were 19 in all on board, this 32-foot charter fishing boat which capsized not long ago earlier today off the coast of Oregon. Thanks very much for joining us, we appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
