Dragon Boat Needs Air Rescue From Coast Guard

ALAMEDA, CA — A dragon boat with 16 rowers aboard ran aground some 50 yards north of Coast Guard Island in Alameda Saturday. The U.S. Coast Guard sent a dolphin helicopter with a rescue swimmer to assist them because the water was too shallow to get a rescue boat close to the grounded crew.

An Alameda Fire Department rescue boat crew notified the Coast Guard at around 11:30 a.m. that the large team row boat has run aground. The Coast Guard established cell phone communication with a crewmember aboard the dragon boat and found out that the vessel had a hole in its hull, was taking on water and was sitting on the bottom as the tide was coming in.

All were wearing life jackets.

The Dolphin helicopter as well as a 45-foot Coast Guard Response Boat-Medium crew were dispatched to the scene. An Alameda Fire Department rescue boat and a second dragon boat from the California Dragon Boat Association also arrived on scene to assist.

A Coast Guard rescue swimmer was deployed from the helicopter onto Coast Guard Island. The swimmer proceeded to the grounded dragon boat and with the assistance of the Alameda Fire Department rescue boat crew, helped all 16 rowers safely onto the second dragon boat.

-File Image via US Coast Guard