Distressed boater rescued by fireboat off Longbranch boat ramp

A distressed boater was rescued from Puget Sound near the Longbranch Boat Launch on Tuesday night.

The male boater called 911 about 8:05 p.m. to report that he was drifting without power and was taking on water about a quarter-mile east of the boat ramp, between the Key Peninsula and Anderson Island.

The boater used his cellphone light to guide the West Pierce fireboat Endeavor, which put a line on the small boat and towed it to shore. The Tacoma fireboat Destiny, marine units from Key Peninsula Fire and a Pierce County Sheriff’s marine unit also responded.

The boat was a 12-to-15-foot metal skiff with a small outboard, said Anne Nesbitt, public information officer for Key Peninsula Fire. The motor failed about 200 yards offshore, she said, and the boat began taking on water.

“The man was not wearing a life jacket, which was a concern,” she said. “People don’t realize what a game-changer that can be if you end up in the water.”

The man was examined by paramedics but did not need hospital care.

This story was originally published February 10, 2021 at 11:37 AM.