SAN FRANCISCO – The Coast Guard rescued two men from a disabled Jet Ski in Bodega Bay, and another man who went missing while surfing near Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
At 4:07 p.m. Wednesday, Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay received a report of two men drifting toward the surf zone on a disabled Jet Ski off Mussel Point, north of Bodega Bay. The Coast Guard immediately launched two 47-foot Motor Life Boats from Station Bodega Bay, a rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco, and notified Sonoma County, which also launched a helicopter. Once on scene, the motor lifeboat crews towed the Jet Ski and men out of the dangerous surf zone where 16 to 17-foot waves were crashing approximately 300 yards from shore. Neither of the men injured in the incident.
At 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, a 24-year-old male was reported missing by friends who were surfing at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco launched Coast Guard Station Golden Gate who responded with two motor lifeboat crews due to large swells and surf conditions. The lifeboat crews arrived at Ocean Beach and spotted a man in a black wet suit standing atop Seal Rock. As the Coast Guard crew approached, the man entered the water and paddled to the rescue boat where he was safely brought aboard. The Coast Guard confirmed he was the missing surfer who became separated from his friends at Ocean Beach. The man was taken to Fort Baker where Southern Marin County Fire Rescue evaluated and transported him to Cal Pacific Medical to be treated for a broken finger and hypothermia.
The Coast Guard is urging surfers, boaters and beachgoers to exercise extreme caution in and around coastal waters. The current weather system has brought large swells and breaking surf causing increased rip current conditions over the next few days. All mariners transiting into San Francisco are advised to utilize the Main Ship Channel, and avoid transiting across Potato Patch Shoals and Bonita Channel due to observed high surf conditions.
