Coast Guard assists 2 aboard disabled boat 30 miles off Monterey

News Release

October 12, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest Contact: 11th District Public Affairs Office: (510) 437-3325 After Hours: (510) 772-8865

Coast Guard assists 2 aboard disabled boat 30 miles off Monterey

SAN FRANCISCO — Coast Guard crews assisted two boaters who were stranded aboard a boat approximately 30 miles south of Monterey without fuel Thursday.

Operators at Vessel Assist, a commercial salvage and towing company, called watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Francisco at 2 a.m., requesting help for two boaters stranded on the disabled 48-foot recreational vessel Moon Dance, stating that the boat was too far offshore for Vessel Assist to reach.

Coast Guard watchstanders dispatched a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Monterey and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco to assist. Responders also issued an urgent marine information broadcast requesting help from boaters in the area.

In response to the UMIB, the crew of the container ship MSC Julie located Moon Dance and remained on scene until Coast Guard assets arrived.

The helicopter crew arrived at 4 a.m. and delivered the boaters a handheld radio to establish communications. After a four-hour transit from the station due to reported eight-foot seas, the Station Monterey boat crew arrived at 8:15 a.m. and took the vessel in tow.

The Coast Guard boat crew towed the disabled vessel closer to shore and transferred the boat to Vessel Assist to complete the tow.

"The Station Monterey boat crew was out for more than 12 hours today and demonstrated exceptional stamina in assisting the Moon Dance," said Capt. Tony Ceraolo, the commander of Sector San Francisco. "Sector San Francisco's area of responsibility reaches 200 miles offshore, and crews are uniquely capable of conducting long-range search and rescue operations like this one."

-USCG-