ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Coast Guard rescued three people Thursday, 500-yards north of Alcatraz Island.
At 6:48 p.m., Sector San Francisco received notification, by the ferry, Islander, from San Francisco, of three people hanging along side an overturned 27-foot catamaran. Sector immediately launched a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat, from Station Golden Gate.
Vessel Traffic Safety San Francisco originally notified the ferry of the emergency. The ferry immediately diverted to the scene, arriving by 6:53 p.m. Upon arrival, the ferry passed lifejackets to the people in distress.
By 7 p.m., the motor lifeboat crew located the people in distress and retrieved them from the water. The motor lifeboat crew treated them for exposure while transiting to Station Golden Gate. Upon arrival, they were examined by the station emergency medical technicians and released in good condition.
This incident serves as a reminder to the boating public to ensure they have all Coast Guard required and recommended safety equipment onboard their vessel, including properly-fitting, Coast Guard approved lifejackets for each person. All boaters are encouraged to wear their personal floatation device while underway, maintain a working VHF-FM radio, and have a emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) on board their vessel, regardless of the weather conditions. As the holiday weekend approaches, there may be a significant increase in the amount of recreational boating traffic. Members of the boating public are reminded to reduce risk factors by filing a float plan with a friend or family member. Doing these simple tasks could save your life or the life of your passengers should an emergency occur.
Additional information on safe and secure boating practices can be found at http://www.uscgboating.org/.
