Coast Guard rescues 2 kite boarders in distress in San Francisco Bay

SAN FRANCISCO — Coast Guard boat crews rescued two kite boarders in distress from San Francisco Bay in separate cases Saturday afternoon.

Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received the first report of a downed kite boarder near Coyote Point around 4:30 p.m.

A Coast Guard Station San Francisco boat crew arrived on scene around 5 p.m., recovered the kite boarder from the water and returned the man and his gear to Coyote Point with no reported medical concerns.

The second case began around 5:50 p.m., when onlookers at Crissy Field notified Sector San Francisco watchstanders of a downed kite boarder approximately 400 yards west of Anita Rock.

A Coast Guard Station Golden Gate boat crew got underway and arrived on scene around 6:10 p.m., rescued the man along with his equipment and transported him to Pier 45 with no reported medical concerns.

"These cases are common in the San Francisco Bay," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Hamburg, the coxswain on the responding boat crew from Station Golden Gate. "We advise kite boarders to keep a marine band radio with them, as that is the quickest way to contact rescue services."

In addition to wearing wetsuits, the Coast Guard advises kite boarders to wear a life jacket, as wetsuits provide limited buoyancy.

The water temperature at the time of the rescues was reported to be 56 degrees.