IMAGERY AVAILABLE: Coast Guard, partner agencies, good Samaritan rescue four from burning boat near Ventura

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 11th District PA Detachment LA/LB Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment LA/LB Office: (310) 521-4260 After Hours: (310) 781-0619 PA Detachment LA/LB online newsroom

Coast Guard, partner agencies, good Samaritan rescue four from burning boat near Ventura 

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SAN PEDRO, Calif. — The Coast Guard, local partner agencies and good Samaritans rescued four boaters whose vessel caught fire, Sunday, southwest of Ventura.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., people aboard a 25-foot recreational fishing boat contacted Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders reporting their boat was on fire near Anacapa Island.

Watchstanders diverted a Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew to assist. While the boatcrew was en route, a good Samaritan arrived and brought the four people from the burning boat aboard their own. 

Crews from Ventura County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire.

The Coast Guard boatcrew transferred all four people to Station Channel Islands Harbor, where they were met by local emergency medical services personnel. One person was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. All four were reported to be in stable condition.

“This case is a testament to the goodwill that exists amongst Southern California mariners,” said Lt. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble, a command duty officer at Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. “The immediate actions of the good Samaritan certainly saved the lives of the individuals and kept a bad situation from becoming much worse.”

A commercial vessel assistance company towed the boat back to shore.

-USCG-