MORRO BAY, Calif. (PADET LA) – Coast Guard Station Morro Bay responded to a request for assistance early this morning from fishing vessel that had run aground south of the jetty at Morro Bay. The fishing vessel Josephine, 38-feet, was fishing in dense fog when it went aground with two crewmembers on board. Both crewmembers donned their life preservers, and the vessel sank on the south jetty.
A Good Samaritan in the area kept an eye the crewmen in the water while Station Morro bay sent out a 47-foot rescue boat. Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles also launched a HH-65 rescue helicopter out of Los Angeles International Airport.
The rescue boat arrived on scene and pulled both crewmen from the water. They took the crewmen to an ambulance that transferred them to the local hospital. The incident is being investigated.
Members of the boating public are encouraged to always wear a life jacket, have a working VHF-FM radio and electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) on board and let someone know where they plan to be boating. Doing these simple tasks could save your life or the life of your passengers and increase the effectiveness of Coast Guard response in the event of an emergency.
Additional information on safe and secure boating practices can be found at the Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety page at http://www.uscgboating.org/.
Boaters can get a free vessel safety check annually from local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. For more information please go to http://nws.cgaux.org/visitors/ve_visitor/index.html
