On a cold morning in December 2007, a young fisherman named Andrew Jay Jessup Hebert-Hopper was working aboard a crab fishing boat off the Oregon coast. The 22-year-old from Tangent, Oregon, was part of the crew on the 75-foot vessel, the Zora Belle. On December 7, 2007, while out on the Pacific Ocean, a distress call was made. Andrew had fallen overboard into the frigid waters. At the time of the incident, the Zora Belle was located approximately five miles northwest of the Siuslaw River.
The United States Coast Guard received a mayday call from the Zora Belle at 7:20 a.m., reporting that a crew member had gone overboard and was thought to be unconscious. In response, the Coast Guard launched a significant search and rescue operation. Helicopter crews from Air Station North Bend and Air Facility Newport were dispatched, along with two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Siuslaw River. The helicopter crews were on the scene within 25 minutes. They searched a vast 100-square-mile area for more than eight hours. Despite their extensive efforts, they were unable to locate Andrew. The Coast Guard made the difficult decision to suspend the search that evening, noting that the expected survivability in the cold ocean conditions was approximately four and a half hours.
The Oregon State Police took a missing person report, and an official case was opened. At the time he went missing, Andrew was described as a white male with brown hair and green eyes, standing at 6'1' and weighing between 180 and 185 pounds. The case of Andrew Hebert-Hopper remains a painful memory of the dangers faced by those who make their living on the sea. The tragic event serves as a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the ocean and the risks inherent in the commercial fishing industry. Although the active search was suspended, Andrew's case continues to be documented as a man lost at sea.Last Seen: Dec 7, 2007
