Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Bottoms crewmembers work with Coast Guard Cutters Haddock and Munro to extinguish a vessel fire off the coast of San Diego, July 15, 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo)
SAN DIEGO — Coast Guard responded to a boat fire Thursday morning near Carlsbad.
Coast Guard Sector San Diego watchstanders received several reports of a boat, 50 feet in length, on fire approximately seven miles off the Carlsbad coast around 9 a.m.
Coast Guard watchstanders dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and diverted the Coast Guard Cutters Munro, Benjamin Bottoms and the Haddock.
While Coast Guard assets were enroute, the Oceanside Harbor Master confirmed that the boat’s name was the Relentless. The Harbor Master saw the boat leave the Oceanside Harbor heading towards Carlsbad Thursday morning and stated that the owner lived aboard the boat and was presumed to have been alone.
The Coast Guard cutters arrived on scene and worked together to extinguish the boat fire while the Jayhawk helicopter crew searched for survivors. The boat sustained significant damage and eventually sank in approximately 1,800 feet of water.
The Jayhawk crew conducted search patterns for more than six hours spanning over 600 square miles with no sightings of survivors.
The Coast Guard crews suspended their search efforts Friday at approximately 8 a.m.
Missing is the owner and resident of the Relentless, a 50-foot boat that caught fire Thursday morning.
Coast Guard and local partner agency crews searched over the course of 21 hours, covering more than 600 square miles.
On Thursday, Coast Guard watchstanders dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and diverted the Coast Guard Cutters Munro, Benjamin Bottoms and Haddock. The Coast Guard cutters arrived on scene and worked together to extinguish the boat fire while the Jayhawk helicopter crew searched for survivors. The boat sustained significant damage and eventually sank in approximately 1,800 feet of water.
Coast Guard Cutter Haddock crewmembers remained on scene throughout the night and a Coast Guard Sector San Diego MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew conducted a first-light search Friday morning for approximately an hour.
“This morning I made the decision to suspend the active search for survivors, which is always an extremely difficult one to make,” said Cmdr. Joseph Parker, the Sector San Diego deputy commander. “The Coast Guard and our partners extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family, who remain in our thoughts and prayers. I am indebted to our Coast Guard crews and mission partners; Oceanside Police Department and Encinitas Lifeguards, who always put forward maximum effort to save lives at sea.”
Involved in the search were:
- Coast Guard Sector San Diego
- Coast Guard Cutter Munro
- Coast Guard Cutter Haddock
- Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Bottoms
- Encinitas Lifeguards
- Oceanside Harbor Master
- Oceanside Police Harbor Unit
The case is suspended pending further information.
