Five members of the United States Coast Guard lost their lives in an attempted rescue at the mouth of the Columbia River on the 12th of January, 1961, when three life-boats put out to the help of a crab boat. One of the life- boats, a 52-feet boat, managed to get a line aboard the crab boat, but the line broke and the life-boat capsized shortly afterwards. Five of her crew of six were swept overboard. One managed to reach the crab boat, but this boat too cap- sized, and the crab boat's crew of two, as well as the five members of the Coast Guard, lost their lives.

Another of the life-boats also cap- sized, but her crew of three managed to reach the third life-boat. There was only one survivor from the 52-feet life- boat..