On March 23, 2001 at 1941 local CG-214341, was underway from Coast Guard Station Niagara to conduct a law enforcement mission in the Niagara River for the purpose of interdicting illegal migrants A three person boat crew/armed law enforcement team and one break-im crewmember were on board the vessel. Immediately upon departure, the coxswain of the boat diverted from the patrol plan and took the vessel north into Lake Ontario to familiarize the break-in crewmember with that portion of the station’s area of operation. The boat experienced steep, four foot waves from the north shortly after entering Lake Ontario. On scene winds were reported from the northwest at 10 knots, the air temperature was 36 degrees. The coxswain successfully navigated the boat approximately 1,000 to 1,500 yards north of Buoy #3 in Lake Ontario, turned the vessel around, and proceeded back south in the direction of the Niagara River. At some time shortly before 2000 local the coxswain overtook a wave, surfed down the front of that wave, and buried the bow of CG-214341 in the backside of another wave. The vessel then rolled to starboard and all four crewmembers safely abandoned the vessel without injury. The vessel missed its first communications check at 2001. The Wilson, NY Fire Department recovered all four crewmen at 0027 on March 24, 2001. Two were in cardiac arrest when recovered and subsequently died despite the heroic and professional efforts of local EMS personnel to warm and resuscitate them. The other two crewmen recovered and later returned to duty.
| Name | Rating | Duty Station | Date |
| Chism, S. | BM2 | Sta Niagara, NY | 3/24/2001 |
| Ferreby, C. | SN | Sta Niagara, NY | 3/24/2001 |
Source: USCG FOIA Reading Room