Coast Guard rescues wanted man seconds before massive wave capsizes boat, video shows

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man from the mouth of the Columbia River on Friday after the yacht he was on was rolled by a massive wave. 

Police had been looking for 35-year-old Jericho Labonte since Wednesday after authorities said he left a dead fish at the Astoria, Oregon, home featured in the in 1985 classic film, “The Goonies.” 

According to Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly, an acquaintance alerted the authorities to a video he posted on social media of himself leaving the fish at the house and then dancing around the property. It is believed that the fish was caught locally because a person reported having taken him fishing.

Kelly explained that Labonte, of Victoria, British Columbia, is also wanted in British Columbia on criminal harassment, mischief and failure to comply cases from last fall.

Videos and images posted to the Coast Guard’s social media accounts showed the daring rescue, during which the agency said two Coast Guard air crews had received a mayday broadcast from the P/C Sandpiper. Petty Officer Michael Clark said the call came in at around 10 a.m. local time.

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“After notifying watchstanders at Sector Columbia River who launched motor life boats from STA Cape Disappointment, the air crews arrived on scene to find the vessel floundering in the surf! The surf made rescue by boat dangerous, so the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and have the owner enter the water for rescue,” the Coast Guard in the Pacific Northwest tweeted. 

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As Labonte entered the water, the vessel capsized, but the rescue swimmer – Petty Officer 1st Class Branch Walton, of Greenville, South Carolina – was able to safely recover him. After the incident, he was flown back to Coast Guard Base Astoria where EMS was waiting to evaluate and treat him for mild hypothermia. 

Labonte was transported to a hospital, and the facility had already released Labonte when they saw the videos and photos from the Coast Guard. Police were still looking for Labonte on Friday night and the yacht’s owner reported the vessel stolen on Friday. 

“It’s been a really odd 48 hours,” Kelly said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.