PORT ANGELES, Wash. - It's been a busy start to the boating season for the U.S. Coast Guard as they reported two separate incidents in Washington's waters.

In the first incident, the Coast Guard received a call around 12:40 p.m. on Saturday about a vessel fire and explosion near Pillar Point, between Port Angeles and Neah Bay.

Witnesses reported hearing an explosion onboard the 52-foot yacht 'Spirit Quest' moments before the boat burst into flames in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

By the time the Coast Guard reached the ship, it was already burning out of control.
Thick plumes of black smoke could be seen in Port Angeles, some 30 miles away.

The only person believed to be on board was the yacht's owner, Jerald Justis of Spirit Lake, Idaho. Justis was rescued by a Canadian whale-watching vessel after about 20 minutes in the water. He was airlifted to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where he was treated and released.

Jeff Lorton was leading a whale watching trip on his Zodiac when he saw the smoke from 12 miles away. He rushed to help, bringing the victim onboard his boat.

"He was in a deep state of shock," Lorton said. "Not only had he breathed in a lot of smoke, but the boat was his sole possession. He retired to the boat, and everything he owned of value was on the boat."

It was not known what started the fire. The Department of Ecology was checking to see whether fuel from the burning boat poses any threat to the environment.

In a separate incident on Saturday, Coast Guard crews got a report of a sunken boat off Borrows Bay near Anacortes about 4 a.m. No one was on board the 17-foot boat.

Investigators later reached the boat's owner, who said he did not report the sinking because he couldn't get a cell phone signal in the area.

The owner said he and his two daughters were on the boat while a friend was in a second vessel nearby when the owner's boat a steering problem that forced them to abandon ship. He and his daughters were picked up by the friend's vessel.