SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Coast Guard crews rescued six mariners after their outrigger canoe capsized in San Francisco Bay, Thursday evening.
Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders were notified at 7:18 p.m. by a good Samaritan aboard a sailboat that came across a capsized outrigger canoe with six mariners in the water near the South Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Coast Guard Station Golden Gate’s response boatcrew was dispatched and immediately rescued all six people from the water.
All mariners were transported to awaiting Marin Fire Department Emergency Medical Services and treated for mild hypothermia.
About half of the mariners rescued were wearing life jackets.
“The good Samaritan’s prompt report and the staunch partnerships between the Coast Guard and local agencies were key factors in this rescue,” said Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Moore, commanding officer of Station Golden Gate.
The Coast Guard encourages everyone to always wear their life jacket. Life jackets increase the chance of survival and visibility to first responders. Since an accident can occur suddenly and without warning, donning a life jacket after an accident can be difficult and often impossible.
All boaters should keep in mind that many California lakes and waterways are cold enough year round to pose a threat of cold water drowning.
The state’s coastal ocean temperatures average in the mid-50s to mid-60s degree range; cold water is any water less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
When a cold water drowning situation begins, a person has about one minute to gain control of their breathing and 10 minutes or less of meaningful movement and muscle control to get themselves out of the water.
Hypothermia may set in within one hour, but without a lifejacket, the victim is likely to drown before that occurs.
The Coast Guard advises all mariners to check local weather conditions before heading out on the water. Stay informed by checking the National Weather Service, local television and radio reports. Boaters can monitor small craft advisories and conditions on the water with a VHF-FM marine-band radio set to channel 16.