Water Rescue off Pillar Point Harbor Saves Three Boaters

Sunday morning at approximately 8:45 a.m., the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a capsized fishing vessel one mile west of the Pillar Point Harbor breakwater, near a buoy know as the “Red Can.”

The reporting party spotted the capsized vessel with two victims in the water and one victim atop the capsized vessel and called 911, but due to rough seas, was not able to get close enough to rescue the victims, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff deputies, San Mateo County Harbormaster, CalFire, and California State Parks lifeguards responded to assist with the rescue. The Coast Guard also launched a helicopter to assist.

While rescue vessels were enroute, the reporting party was able to get close enough to rescue the two victims from the water. Within minutes of that rescue, the San Mateo County Harbormaster vessel arrived and was able to rescue the victim from atop the capsized vessel.

The other two victims were transferred to the Harbormaster vessel. CalFire personnel provided medical attention to the victims while returning to the Pillar Point Harbor aboard the Harbormaster vessel.

The three victims arrived on shore at approximately 9:12 a.m. and walked to ambulances, where they were treated by paramedics. Two of the victims were transported by ambulance to a local hospital for additional medical treatment. The capsized vessel was not immediately recoverable, was left in the water and the Coast Guard was notified.

The three victims, one of whom was a 17-year-old, were from Redwood City and East Palo Alto.

One of the victims estimated they were in the water for approximately one hour. The capsized vessel had an aluminum hull, was approximately 19 feet in length and was the type of vessel typically used on a lake.

Follow us on Twitter here | Like Half Moon Bay Patch here | Sign up for our daily newsletter | Blog for Half Moon Bay Patch here