After allegedly stealing a boat in Oregon on Friday, Jericho Labonte of Victoria, British Columbia, may have thought he had smooth sailing ahead of him.
If he had, Labonte was in for a rude awakening when he encountered a powerful act of God in the form of a storm on the Columbia River. A massive wave knocked Labonte into the water as he was steering the stolen boat.
On an insurance form, it could be referred to as an “act of God.”
Fortunately for Labonte, emergency personnel successfully completed a difficult rescue, according to The Associated Press.
The Associated Press reported that Labonte was wanted on charges related to a strange video he posted on social media of him leaving a fish at the Astoria, Oregon, home featured in the 1985 film “The Goonies” at the time of the incident.
According to the Associated Press, the Canadian was wanted in his home province for a variety of offenses, including failure to comply, criminal harassment, and mischief.
When Labonte was caught in the storm on Friday, he issued a mayday call, which was answered by two Coast Guard crews who happened to be conducting drills nearby, according to KATU-TV in Portland, Oregon.
Labonte was then rescued by a rescue swimmer, saving his life.
The Coast Guard released a video of Labonte’s rescue on Friday.
(2/4)…who launched motor life boats from STA Cape Disappointment, the air crews arrived on scene to find the vessel floundering in the surf! The surf made rescue by boat dangerous, so the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and have the owner enter the water for rescue… pic.twitter.com/z92WvzpTG9
— USCGNorthwest (@USCGNorthwest) February 3, 2023
(4/4) All in all, it’s just another day for the Coast Guard men and women who spend their days #ProtectingThePNW
Photos and video by AET1 Kyle Turcotte pic.twitter.com/WNUnAe5OF5
— USCGNorthwest (@USCGNorthwest) February 3, 2023
The United States Coast Guard’s official website published an official statement about the situation on Friday.
The statement confirmed that Labonte was in stable condition.
“After the mariner was released to the care of emergency medical personnel, local authorities notified the Coast Guard that the individual is suspected to have stolen the vessel,” the statement read.
“Astoria Police Department is leading that investigation.”
The first life saved by the rescue swimmer, identified by the Coast Guard as Aviation Survival Technician 3rd Class John “Branch” Walton, was Labonte’s.
Walton and his classmates graduated from the Advanced Rescue Helicopter School just hours later, according to the Coast Guard.
