Coast Guard Rescues Sailor from Sinking Boat Amid Hazardous Waves Off California Coast
A dramatic rescue operation successfully pulled a stranded sailor to safety after his boat ran aground and began taking on water.
A sailor was rescued by the Coast Guard on Sunday morning after his boat ran aground and began sinking near Coronado, California, amidst dangerous wave conditions. The rescue occurred after the sailor contacted 911 around 4 a.m. to report his predicament.
A crew from Coast Guard Station San Diego located the vessel but was unable to approach due to shallow waters and rough seas. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Ventura was dispatched to the scene.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Mike Antoon, a rescue swimmer, was lowered onto the sailboat. He found the sailor struggling to breathe inside a partially flooded cabin as waves crashed over the boat. Antoon provided the sailor with a snorkel to assist with breathing before cutting open part of the cabin roof to extract him.
The helicopter crew airlifted the man to Coast Guard Sector San Diego, where medical personnel were waiting. The rescue was completed around 7:25 a.m. Antoon credited the successful outcome to teamwork and favorable circumstances.
