IMAGERY AVAILABLE: Coast Guard rescues 2 from sailboat 77 miles southwest of Half Moon Bay

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 rescues 2 from sailboat 77 miles southwest of Half Moon Bay

Editor's Note: Click on images to download full-resolution version.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard hoisted two boaters from their 37-foot sailboat approximately 77 miles southwest of Half Moon Bay, Sunday.

The two boaters aboard the sailboat Annie contacted the Garmin Emergency Operations Team through their GPS device, reporting their vessel was adrift after sustaining damage during multiple storms. They needed assistance and were experiencing rough weather and minor injuries.

The Garmin Emergency Operations Team contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at approximately 7:15 a.m., requesting assistance for the stranded boaters. Coast Guard watchstanders worked with the emergency operations team to gather information and coordinate the response.

A Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircraft crew and a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew were launched to assist.

The C-27 crew arrived on scene and provided weather details and reported the sailboat's position to the helicopter crew. Once on scene, the Dolphin crew deployed a rescue swimmer to board the sailboat and assess the situation. The rescue swimmer and stranded boaters entered the water and were hoisted into the helicopter.

The Dolphin crew flew the boaters to Air Station San Francisco, located at the San Francisco International Airport, where they were met by emergency medical services personnel.

"This case was my first as aircraft commander in San Francisco and was extremely challenging based on the complexity of being 77 miles offshore, the lack of communication with the sailboat and 6-to-12 foot seas on scene,” said Lt. Katherine Voth, the Air Station San Francisco aircraft commander who flew on this case. “We really appreciated having the C-27 from Air Station Sacramento on scene to provide weather and updated position reports and the coordination between Sector San Francisco and Air Station San Francisco watchstanders. This case was a Coast Guard team effort from start to finish that resulted in the rescue of two survivors.”

-USCG-