S. Oregon Coast Fire Chief Describes Harrowing Rescue at Stranded Ship Near Port Orford

Published 01/12/26 at 6:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Port, Orford, Oregon) – A variety of rescue agencies from the south Oregon coast and even northern California responded Sunday morning in the overnight hours to a fishing vessel stranded on the beach, having to retrieve three men and two dogs from a dangerously-pitching ship. (Photo courtesy Sixes River Fire Dept)

The beach access at Paradise Point is currently closed – and will be for awhile – as salvage efforts are now underway for the F/V Texas Lady, after it became trapped on the sands.

How or why it became stuck is not known at this point, and officials say be cautious of the speculation online.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) told Oregon Coast Beach Connection it began in the wee hours of January 11, as the Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a MAYDAY call from the 67-foot commercial fishing vessel, Texas Lady.

“The vessel had three people on board and had been anchored prior to grounding,” the USCG said.

Responding to the Texas Lady were the Sixes River Volunteer Fire Department, Sixes River Fire SCARR team (search and rescue dive team), Port Orford Fire Department RFPD, Cal Or Ambulance, and the US Coast Guard.

Ashley Moore, a captain with the Sixes River Volunteer Fire Department, talked to Oregon Coast Beach Connection at length on the ordeal, describing a rather harrowing set of events.

“That area is quite dangerous,” she said. “People die there almost every year.”

There is a horrendous undertow in that spot, compounded by a marine shelf, but making all this more hazardous was fairly large waves with sets about six seconds from each other. Also, it was an incoming tide. That left little time to conduct even quick rescue maneuvers like setting up a ladder against the ship so the crew could dart down.

Texas Lady still on the beach Monday: photo Dave Foley / Port Orford and PNW Whale Watchers

“That undertow there is bad,” Moore said. “You get sucked in there fast, and then the sand gets sucked out from underneath you and then you're just sent out to sea.”

The vessel itself was in a kind of manic motion. It was about ten feet high as well, higher than it looked in the videos, Moore said. Wave action here made even that more dangerous.

“The boat was rocking back and forth, and trying to get them off the boat was really difficult,” Moore said. “If you jumped off you would've twisted your ankle.”

One man aboard did get off that way, however, and in spite of the heavy waves was able to scramble onto shore. Moore said he was “runnin' for his life.”

Minor and major problems like this kept occurring, she said.

At one point, a boom on the vessel came loose and started swinging to the west, making for an extra danger. Yet overall the rescue went smoothly, once crews were able to overcome whatever new obstacle came their way.

Moore had particular praise for the USCG rescue swimmer and the helicopter pilot, who continuously risked much but performed exceptionally well. The helicopter had to dart off and refuel at one point. By the time they were pulling the remaining men off the boat, the pilot held the aircraft remarkably still, she said.

Then there were the two dogs to rescue.

For that they got rather inventive. First, they got the dogs into life jackets and “roped” that around them, as Moore put it. Then, a Port Orford firefighter managed to get the dogs back onshore using a pulley system.

Moore had special thanks for the volunteers from the public, who even helped provide an RV on scene for the rescued to warm themselves.

The USCG said the owner will be working to handle the salvage of the vessel.

“The Coast Guard will continue to monitor and coordinate with the owner and local and state partners,” the agency said.

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