Andrew Hebert-Hopper

A fisherman who is missing and presumed dead after he fell from a crabbing boat Friday morning has been identified as a former Bandon resident.

The U.S. Coast Guard search for Andrew Jay Jessup Hebert-Hopper, 22, of Tangent, was suspended at dusk Friday.

Coast Guard Group North Bend received a mayday call at 7:20 a.m. from the 75-foot Fishing Vessel Zora Belle, operated by Craig Stolz, also a former Bandon resident, that one of his crew members had fallen overboard in the Pacific Ocean, 5 miles northwest of the mouth of the Siuslaw River.

Coast Guard Air Station North Bend and Coast Guard Air Facility Newport each launched HH-65C Dolphin helicopter crews along with two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River. Helicopter crews were on scene in 25 minutes.

Hebert-Hopper was dressed in yellow rain gear at the time of his fall, but was not wearing a life jacket. He was believed to be unconscious when he fell.  

Weather conditions on scene were 20- to 25-knot winds combined with 13-foot seas and 10-mile visibility. The water in the area was 50 degrees. The decision to suspend the search was made after rescuers searched a 100-square-mile area for more than eight hours, the release said. Expected survivability in such conditions is approximated at 41⁄2 hours.

According to Stolz, crew members had a line on Hebert-Hopper after he fell overboard, but the equipment bent and they lost him.

 According to a press release, an OSP Fish and Wildlife Division trooper took a missing person report for Hebert-Hopper at approximately 9:30 p.m. after the crabbing ship arrived in port. Interviews with the boat’s crew members was consistent with previous reports provided by the Coast Guard, the release said.

Hebert-Hopper is the son of Mary Hopper of Bandon. He was born on May 12, 1985, in Bandon. He was a 2003 graduate of Bandon High School.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday  in the Bandon High School gymnasium on Ninth Street S.W. Hopper asked that those attending bring photos and memorabilia of her son to put into a memory box.