SAN FRANCISCO —The Coast Guard rescued a man from a 42-foot boat that was sinking approximately 27 miles south of Big Sur Wednesday afternoon.
The solo sailor radioed watchstanders at Sector San Francisco Wednesday at approximately 3:30 p.m., notifying them that the vessel, named Ment 2 Be, was taking on water. On scene conditions were reported to be 12-to-15 foot seas and 25-to-30 knot winds.
An MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco and a 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Coast Guard Station Monterey were dispatched to the scene. The helicopter arrived first at approximately 5 p.m., and lowered a rescue swimmer and an emergency pump to the foundering boat.
As the boat’s operator and the rescue swimmer worked to keep the boat afloat, the emergency pump was damaged and was unable to keep up with the rate of water the boat was taking on. Both the sailor and the rescue swimmer were then removed from the vessel at approximately 6:30 p.m., and taken aboard the station's boat. The operator of the Ment 2 Be was taken to Monterey.
No injuries were reported.
The boat could not be towed but was marked with lights and a marine radio broadcast was issued to warn other mariners that the Ment 2 Be was awash and adrift in the area.
The Coast Guard dispatched a HC-27 Spartan aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento Thursday morning in an attempt to locate the vessel. The aircrew reported that there were no signs of the vessel, which is presumed to have sunk.
"The Coast Guard advises all mariners to carry the essential safety equipment aboard their vessels including a reliable method of communication such as a VHF-FM marine radio to contact the Coast Guard in case of emergency,” said Lt. Jason Berger, a Sector San Francisco command duty officer.
Forecasts for offshore weather off the coast of Northern California call for small craft advisories into the Fourth of July holiday weekend with winds up to 30 knots and swells from 10-to-15 feet. Boaters and beachgoers throughout the region should remain up-to-date on current weather conditions and always be alert, watch for large, unexpected waves and rip currents, and report any signs of distress or other emergencies to the Coast Guard or local officials.
Weather forecasts can be found through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s site at http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KMTR.html