Dramatic Sailboat Rescue Caught On Video In Redondo Beach

REDONDO BEACH, CA – In a dramatic rescue caught on video, the two men who were saved from a sailboat marooned on the rocks in front of King Harbor Saturday afternoon said they thought they were going to die, Grant Currie, firefighter/paramedic with the Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol told The Daily Breeze.

The 26-foot sailboat smashed against the jetty in heavy surf, and at one point the entire bottom of the boat was visible. Currie drove into the chilly waters about 4 p.m. Saturday to mount a rescue as his partner Matt Brady kept the patrol boat as close as possible to the sailboat without hitting the rocks, according to The Daily Breeze.

“I've been on those types of calls when the boat is broken apart,” Currie said to The Beach Reporter. “I'm surprised it didn't break apart.”

Both crewmembers, whose names weren't immediately known, suffered minor cuts and bruises, according to The Beach Reporter. A 70-pound pit bull mix was also on board, but avoided any major injury.

"More of an ego damage than anything else," Currie told The Beach Reporter of the men's predicament.

The 3-minute video was shot from the pier by Redondo Beach resident Wayne Craig. The sailboat's head sail was thrashing in the wind as the boat slowly made its way closer to the rocks near the harbor. Wave after wave washed over the vessel, pounding it into the rocks. When the patrol boat arrived, Currie jumped into the swirling water to rescue the passengers and pup.

Image via Youtube screen grab