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2 siblings among 6 victims in deadly Bodega Bay boat crash survive mass shooting
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2 siblings among 6 victims in deadly Bodega Bay boat crash survive mass shooting

Six people were going crabbing in Bodega Bay on a 21-foot boat last weekend when the ship started taking on water.

An 11-year-old boy survived, the body of a teenager was recovered and four people remain missing, family members said.

Among the six people on board were a father and his two sons.

They come from Tehama County, 100 miles north of Sacramento.

This is the second time a tragedy has affected the family.

“He’s a great dad. A great, great dad,” Tiffany Phommathep told KTVU on Wednesday, referring to her husband, Johnny Phommathep Sr., 41, of Corning, a small Northern California city.

He and his 14-year-old son, Jake, disappeared Saturday afternoon when the boat they were on took on water.

The body of his 17-year-old son, Johnny Junior, was washed ashore the next day.

They were crabbing in Bodega Bay.

Tiffany said her husband was an avid fisherman.

For the past six weekends, her husband and sons had been fishing in either Bodega Bay or Monterey Bay.

This time, they were with a cousin named Prasong and her 11-year-old son Juladi, along with an adult boyfriend.

Juladi is the only survivor so far.

Tiffany said the boy’s father and husband made sure Juladi had a cooler for him to float on.

He reached the shore and asked for help.

Everyone on board was wearing life jackets, Tiffany said.

He said he hoped the missing somehow survived and said, “I hope they were washed ashore where they came out and can’t get any help.”

This was Tiffany’s second time dealing with tragedy.

Almost exactly seven years ago, he and his sons had survived gunshot wounds during a mass shooting in which a neighbor shot and killed others near the parking lot of the school where he had dropped off his sons.

“Both my sons, Johnny and Jake, they’ve been through so much,” Tiffany said. “It’s already a tragedy. They did this just to get here.”

While waiting for answers, family members thanked many people in Bodega Bay and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office, saying they were grateful for the lodging, meals and prayers they received.

“Being able to grieve in peace, not having to worry about where to lay our heads at night. What’s our next meal?” said Andrew Bouna Panyanouvong, a relative of the crash victim. he said.

Tiffany said her strength comes from her husband. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Iraq and a volunteer firefighter.

He has six children and is the sole breadwinner for his family.

“I feel really bad. It shouldn’t happen. They shouldn’t end this way,” said Tiffany.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said it plans to continue the search daily, weather conditions permitting.

There are two online fundraisers for the victims’ families. If you want to help, you can click Here And Here.

Amber Lee is a reporter at KTVU. Email Amber at [email protected] or call/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU