Zach Pierce and four others were 50 miles off the Carolina coast when the 47-foot sportfisher Raptor burst into flames.
“We didn’t have much time,” Pierce told The Qualified Captain Podcast host Aaron Stasiak in a recent episode.
They were fishing the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament off Morehead City, N.C. last June when when smoke erupted from the port side, just five minutes after lines had gone into the water. It was Friday the Thirteenth.
“Hey, there’s smoke,” Pierce told Capt. Ted Mears, who was operating the vessel from the flybridge. Mears came down to the deck, where he and the crew discovered the engine bay and galley were already fully engulfed.
The video footage shot by a member of the fishing crew is every mariner’s nightmare.
“I don’t think anyone’s prepared for that,” said Pierce, an electrical foreman accustomed to handling dangerous circumstances. He said the mood on board was calm. They quickly realized the fire was beyond control.
Capt. Mears climbed back onto the flybridge to deploy the boat’s life raft. No dice. The raft had been checked and certified within the manufacturer’s recommended interval, but when the critical moment came, it failed to inflate. Within minutes, the crew of five was compelled to abandon ship. Most jumped from the boat’s bow.
“You could feel that fire pretty well,” Pierce recounted in a tone belying the peril of the situation.
The video footage shows that not every crew member was able to reach a life vest before abandoning ship. One holds a life ring. Another holds an orange horseshoe life jacket but doesn’t put it on. She just stares at the fire as if mesmerized, before finally leaping clear of the flames.
“It’s easy for people to explain what to do and how to do it, until it really happens to you,” said podcast host Stasiak, a/k/a The Qualified Captain.
That’s why preparation and practice are so important, Piece said. A little luck never hurts either. Pierce’s handheld VHF went overboard in the fray. Moments later when Capt. Mears abandoned ship, he found the radio floating in the water beside him.
Pierce was wearing a GPS enabled smartwatch and related their coordinates to Capt. Mears, who was able to reach nearby boaters on the waterproof handheld. The center console Cost Plus responded in just eight minutes, drawn by the thick black smoke emanating from the wreck and the radio communication with Capt. Mears.
“Nothing’s feeling real at that point,” Pierce said of their rescue. “You should be dead. No one’s coming to get you if there isn’t a tournament that morning,” he said, referring to the additional traffic that was on the water. Otherwise, rescue might not have come in time.
“Nasty things can happen out there pretty quickly,” Pierce said. Advanced emergency preparation is key. He and Stasiak reflected on the importance of carrying a ditch bag at all times and the need to ensure it is easily accessible during a crisis.
Pierce didn’t know whether Capt. Mears was able to activate an EPIRB or other electronic safety beacon. Stasiak opined that it would be a wise idea for crew members to bring a personal locator beacon (PLB) or when boarding an unfamiliar boat. The device, about the size of a deck of cards, can summon rescuers from anywhere on the globe. It has meant the difference between life or death for fishermen in similar situations. More than once.
Pierce’s relief at surviving the sudden boat fire was obvious on the podcast video feed. He said all five aboard escaped without injury, and credited remaining calm and advanced preparation for their safety. That, and the great good fortune of Capt. Mears landing in the water within arm’s reach of Pierce’s handheld VHF radio.
