THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 27, 1996 TAG: 9609270731
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: 37 lines
Waves on the Albemarle Sound washed a 41-year-old crabber out of his boat Thursday morning, and he was still missing after a daylong search.
Coast Guard spokesman Harry Craft said Vince Van Ngo of Elizabeth City hit his head on a crab pot rack as he fell overboard into 16-foot water off Frog Island south of here, near Weeksville.
His crabbing partner, Doan Nguyen, 24, also fell out of the 24-foot Sea Ox. He was picked up by watermen in another boat. Nguyen was taken to Albemarle Hospital, where he was treated for hypothermia. He was released a few hours later, Craft said.
Beginning about 9 a.m., Coast Guardsmen searched an area up to four miles offshore and eight miles along the coast, looking for signs of Ngo. A 22-foot boat and a helicopter - both based in Elizabeth City - helped crew members canvas the area. Officials called off the search at 5:10 p.m.
``Based on the likelihood that he didn't survive, we discontinued the search,'' Coast Guard spokeswoman Heather Waddington said from her Portsmouth office. Coast Guard officials notified Ngo's next of kin about the incident. They did not plan to resume rescue efforts today.
Waves were cresting at 2 to 3 feet Thursday morning when the two crabbers left their dock about 8 a.m. The water temperature in the Albemarle Sound was about 70 degrees, Coast Guardsman Daniel Willard said from his Buxton office. The boat Ngo and Nguyen were in was found about a half-mile from where Nguyen was picked up.
``One wave threw them out. Then Nguyen got back in the boat and went to pick up the other guy,'' Craft said. ``Another wave took them just then, and Ngo hit his head as he fell back overboard.
``Usually, if they have a flotation device of some sort, we find them pretty quick,'' Craft said. ``We don't know for sure if Ngo was wearing a life jacket. We don't think he was.'' by CNB