SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard rescued two fishermen off the coast of Santa Cruz after their 27-foot fishing vessel sank, Sunday morning.
A jogger contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at approximately 6:30 a.m. and reported seeing two people stranded on a rock off the coast of Wilder Ranch State Park.
Sector San Francisco launched a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a Coast Guard Station Santa Cruz 47-foot Motor Lifeboat to the scene. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol also responded.
The Dolphin crew arrived on scene and located the stranded fishermen who were both wearing life jackets. The crew hoisted the fishermen into the helicopter and transferred them to shore, where emergency medical personnel were waiting.
The fishermen reported they had struck an object early Sunday morning, causing their vessel to break apart and sink. They were able to swim to nearby rocks and call out to the jogger on shore for help.
"Life jackets played a pivotal role in the success of this rescue," said Cmdr. Tim List, the Sector San Francisco search and rescue mission coordinator for this case. "Life jackets allowed these fishermen to stay afloat so they could make their way to the rocks and call out for help. Heading out to sea can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous, so we always urge boaters and fisherman to wear life jackets at all times when underway."
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