Seven U.S. Coast Guard crew members from Station Yaquina Bay sustained varying degrees of injury Monday when their 47-foot motor lifeboat rolled over during a heavy surf training exercise. The incident occurred Monday morning off South Beach. Crew members were wearing protective gear and were tethered to the boat, but they did sustain cuts, and some members suffered arm and leg injuries. The motor lifeboat is designed to right itself, which it eventually did, and the crew was able to return the vessel to Station Yaquina Bay. Upon arrival back at port, the injured crew was assisted by members of the Newport Fire Department and Pacific West Ambulance. They were transported to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport for treatment of their injuries.

Even though the motor lifeboat is self-righting, electronic and deck equipment were damaged in the incident, and one window was shattered. While the damaged boat is being repaired, crews at Station Yaquina Bay will still respond to search and rescue missions using a second 47-foot motor lifeboat as well as the station's 52-foot Victory. Coast Guard motor lifeboat crews routinely conduct training in surf up to 15 feet. This training is both necessary and beneficial because of the rough conditions off the Oregon coast. On Monday, the crew aboard the 47-foot motor lifeboat was training with another motor lifeboat crew acting as safety observers.

According to Lt. j.g. Toby Holdridge, public information officer at Coast Guard Group North Bend, knockdowns and rollovers of Coast Guard boats are rare, occurring less than once a year. The last incident happened in Coos Bay, but none of that crew was injured.