IMAGERY AVAILABLE: Coast Guard monitors sunken sailing vessel near Pacifica

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 05/03/2018 10:43 AM EDT

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News Release  

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

Coast Guard monitors sunken sailing vessel near Pacifica

Contractor crews assess a grounded 33-foot sailing vessel on a beach in Pacifica, Calif., May 2, 2018, before the vessel took on water and sunk while salvers were attempting to tow it from the beach. The sailboat reportedly ran aground onto the beach with four people and a dog on board around 1 a.m. Sunday after the owner ran out of fuel.

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SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard is working with the City of Pacifica, California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Global Diving and Salvage and the owner of a 33-foot sailing vessel that ran aground in Pacifica, Sunday morning, to monitor the safety of salvage operations for the sailboat.

Coast Guard Sector San Francisco’s Incident Management Division (IMD) personnel worked with the owner Sunday after the vessel ran aground to ensure a salvage plan was put in place and monitored salvage operations Wednesday. 

Contractors attempted to tow the vessel, the Hectate, from the beach Wednesday afternoon. However, the Hectate took on water and sank approximately 600 feet offshore due to surf conditions. 

 

IMD personnel will continue to monitor the situation and review future response plans before operations resume. 

 

"Our top priority is the safety of the public and the responders working on this incident," said Chief Warrant Officer Jeremiah Winston, a response marine safety specialist at Sector San Francisco. "The Coast Guard is working in tandem with the City of Pacifica to explore all options in order to mitigate the safety concern this vessel poses to the public and to the environment."

The vessel was reportedly 8 to 10 feet below the surface of the water Wednesday night. 

 

The owner of the vessel reported there are no hazardous materials or fuel aboard, however Coast Guard personnel are asking the public and surfers to stay clear of the area until the situation is resolved. 

 

The Hectate reportedly ran aground onto the beach with four people and a dog on board approximately 1 a.m. Sunday after the owner ran out of fuel. The Pacifica Police Department responded to a Coast Guard urgent marine information broadcast, and emergency medical services personnel took all four people to Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. 

-USCG-