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The sportfisher Oceanside 95 had departed Helgren’s
Oceanside Sportfishing on Thursday at 7pm on a 3.5 day fishing adventure to the
rich waters of Baja California Norte.
An El Nino weather condition had brought abnormally
warm water to this area and along with it a variety of avidly-targeted game fish.
By Sunday morning, the anglers on board had been enjoying excellent fishing for dorado, yellowtail, yellowfin and bluefin tuna.
Captain Joey Helgren noticed it was 5am and headed downstairs to wake the galley
cook (whose name is not being released pending notification of relatives) so he could get breakfast going. It was only the 4th
trip for the aspiring galley cook who seemed to be missing just before daybreak.
“I went to his bunk and he wasn’t there. I checked
the galley, the heads (bathrooms) and then headed for the stern of the boat where I found
him with two knives in his hands; he had multiple cuts on his chest and was bleeding profusely,” said Helgren. “There was
nothing I could do.”
Scott Buchert from Corona del Mar heard what sounded like someone running around on deck about 5am on Sunday morning. “When I got out on deck, the Captain and deckhand were running around and trying to save his life."
Buchert said he talked to the cook on several occasions during the trip. “This is all so sad,” said Buchert. “I feel really terrible for his family and only wish he would have found another way to handle his problems.”
According to passenger Ken Engle from Carlsbad, California
the cook never seemed to be at ease on the trip. “He just seemed uneasy,”
said Engle. “He was constantly sweating and seemed very nervous.” Engle said
that the cook asked some passengers if they thought a person who killed
himself would go to Heaven. He asked another passenger what he thought about
Junior Seau committing suicide (a former San Diego Charger who recently took his own life at the age of 43).
Engle said that galley cook also seemed overly-concerned with the
job he was doing in the galley. “I kept telling him to relax and that he was
doing a good job. I just wish he would have talked to me before he took his
life.”
An un-named passenger said that he had been admiring the Oceanside 95 T-shirt the cook had been wearing and commented that he would like to have one of them one day. Upon unpacking his gear, he found that several T-shirts in that style had been put into his clothing bag, presumably by the cook.
According to Helgren, the FBI boarded the 95-foot sportfisher near the
tuna pens about 70-miles south of the US/Mexico border around midnight on Sunday evening. The agents were transported to the sportfisher on a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter at a speed of 22-knots
from San Diego and took the lead in the investigation because the death occurred
in International waters.
They interviewed Captain Joey Helgren, and other crew members as
well as any passengers who were still awake. Buchert said that everyone who was
interviewed also had the palms of their hands photographed. He also said that the FBI agents asked him the
following questions.
1)
Did you know the deceased previously?
2)
Where and when was the last time you saw him?
3)
Did you ever hear him talk about wanting to kill
himself?
4)
Did you hear him arguing or fighting with
anyone?
On Monday morning, the FBI ordered Captain Helgren to dock at Camp Pendleton where the rest of the passengers would be
questioned. “Each passenger went off with 2 or 3 agents to be questioned. There were buses to transport the passengers from Camp
Pendleton to our harbor (Oceanside Harbor) making the whole process easy and
painless for everyone,” said Helgren. “The FBI was fantastic.”
“San Diego FBI Agents were
called but at this time we cannot comment on the investigation. Though in
international waters the cause of death will be determined by the County
Coroner's office.” April L. Langwell FBI - Office of Public Affairs, San
Diego
I think it’s important to say that many people feel like
they are facing insurmountable problems in today’s troubling times. If you are
having suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately. If you have nowhere
else to turn, pick up the phone and dial the Suicide Hotline. 1-800-273-8255.
“I just wish that he would have realized that
there are always solutions to problems and not chosen to have taken his life,”
said Helgren. “May he rest in peace.”
Photo: Passenger Scott Buchert from Coronal del Mar with a nice tuna before tragedy struck on the Oceanside 95. Photo credit: Phil Friedman Outdoors
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