SAN FRANCISCO – The Coast Guard found two missing kayakers that were overdue from a recreational trip in the San Francisco Bay, today. At 6:09 a.m., a 41-foot Utility Boat, from Station San Francisco, located two individuals north of Alcatraz Island, and identified them as the overdue kayakers.
At 1:34 a.m. on Monday, June 9, Coast Guard Sector San Francisco was notified that the two adult males had not returned home or checked in with family members since they began their trip the previous morning. At 1:38 a.m., Coast Guard Station Golden Gate launched a 25-foot boat to conduct a search in the vicinity of Angel Island.
The Coast Guard resumed the search this morning at 5:48 a.m., with two smallboats from Coast Guard Station San Francisco and Coast Guard Station Golden Gate in the vicinity of Sausalito and Tiburon. Local news helicopters assisted in tracking the location of the two missing individuals as they resumed paddling this morning.
Shahe Moutafian and Kimm Boege, both in their mid-fifties, had plans to observe swimmers during the Escape from Alcatraz race, and then paddle in the vicinity of Sausalito and Tiburon.
The two individuals had spent the night on Angel Island and were in good condition, not in need of medical assistance. The kayakers were escorted by the Coast Guard to Gas House Cove, paddling under their own power.
The Coast Guard strongly encourages all recreational boaters and kayakers to develop and share their float and communications plans with family members and friends before they leave the dock to prevent undue concern for their whereabouts, and to aid searchers in the event of an emergency.
