VIDEO AVAILABLE: Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue man from burning vessel on Lake Tahoe

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, good Samaritan rescue man from burning vessel on Lake Tahoe

Editors' Note: Click on images above to download full-resolution version.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued a 43 year-old-man whose vessel caught fire on Lake Tahoe, Monday evening.

Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received notification from Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe reporting a 26-foot Cobalt boat on fire near Dollar Point.

Watchstanders dispatched a Station Lake Tahoe 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew to the scene.

When the crew arrived on scene, the man had been retrieved by a good Samaritan and the man was transferred to the RB-S.

“It’s unfortunate the fire escalated so quickly,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class TJ Mines, a boatswain’s mate at Station Lake Tahoe. “We’re just happy we were able to assist the owner with no injuries and that Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection arrived on scene when they did.”

A Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection crew arrived on scene shortly after and extinguished the fire before the vessel sank in 21-feet of water.

The man was transferred to local emergency medical services personnel with no reported injuries.

It was reported that there are 40 gallons of fuel aboard and a current urgent marine information broadcast has been sent out to notify mariners of the submerged boat.

Vessel Assist has been contacted to salvage the boat.

-USCG-