Thirty-three people were rescued from a vessel taking on water in the vicinity of Suisun Bay by the Coast Guard, Contra Costa Sherriff’s Department, and the Good Samaritan Baylink passenger ferry Intintoli.
Published: August, 2009
The following reports were derived from official Coast Guard New Releases
June 30 – Thirty-three people were rescued from a vessel taking on water in the vicinity of Suisun Bay by the Coast Guard, Contra Costa Sherriff’s Department, and the Good Samaritan Baylink passenger ferry Intintoli. The San Francisco Coast Guard received a distress call from the Farallones, a 85-foot sea scout training vessel, at 11:55 a.m. The vessel, which reported approximately eight inches of water in the bilge, had 27 kids and 6 adults onboard. Coast Guard Stations Vallejo and Rio Vista responded with 25-foot rescue boats and an MH-65 rescue helicopter was launched from Air Station San Francisco. The Coast Guard arrived on scene at approximately 12:15 p.m. The passenger ferry Intintoli was in San Pablo Bay when it responded. Once on scene, the rescue boat crews disembarked the 27 kids and two adults and transferred the 29 persons to the ferry. Four crewmembers of the Farallones remained aboard the vessel and controlled the flooding. The Intintoli arrived at the Vallejo ferry terminal at approximately 1:45 p.m. with the 29 rescued passengers aboard. The Farallones made it to Bay Ship & Yacht in Alameda under its own power to undergo repairs.
July 6 – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a woman after she reported being stranded on the rocks at Fort Funston. At approximately 8:57 p.m., Coast Guard Sector San Francisco received an agency assist request from the SF Police Department to rescue a stranded 22-year-old woman, from Pacifica, CA. Sector San Francisco then dispatched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco. The crew located the woman and hoisted her into the helicopter at approximately 9:10 p.m.
The Coast Guard reminds hikers and beach goers to always use extreme caution while walking along beaches and cliffs. It can be very dangerous to hike in these areas at night and it is very important to remain aware of the surroundings and changing weather conditions. The Coast Guard also urges beach goers and hikers to notify someone of their planned whereabouts in case of emergency.
July 7 – The U.S. Coast Guard and the Redwood City Fire Dept rescued a man and woman stranded in the water south of the San Mateo Bridge. At approximately 3:11 p.m., the San Francisco Coast Guard received a report from a man in the water from an overturned catamaran. He was able to hail the Coast Guard over Channel 16 from a hand-held radio. The woman passenger was holding onto the hull of the overturned boat. A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, from Air Station San Francisco, was dispatched to the scene and arrived at approximately 3:45 p.m. At the same time the helicopter crew hoisted the man from the water, the Redwood City Fire Department was able to rescue the woman clinging to the vessel. No injuries were reported and both persons were wearing dry suits. Thankfully both members from the vessel had the proper safety gear on hand such as immersion suits to protect them from the cold and a hand held radio, which attributed to the speedy rescue.
July 8 – The Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf seized two suspected drug smuggling boats, detained four suspected smugglers and recovered a bale of cocaine as evidence after disrupting a major drug smuggling operation in international waters some 80 miles off the coast of Guatemala.
This seizure is the first drug bust conducted by the crew of the Bertholf. The ship, home ported in the Bay Area and commissioned less than one year ago, is the first of eight planned National Security Cutters being built as part of the Coast Guard’s deepwater major-acquisition and modernization program to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class high endurance cutters which entered service during the 1960s.
The incident began when a group of four suspicious ‘pangas’ were spotted by a maritime patrol aircraft and the Bertholf, which was in the area on patrol as part of an ongoing interagency and international counter drug effort, was alerted to the situation. A marksman aboard a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, operating from the cutter, shot out the engines of two speedboats and fired warning shots at two others in a pursuit during which bales were seen being thrown overboard from all four boats. The seized boats and suspects were apprehended a short time later by crews aboard two of the Bertholf’s interceptor boats. The Coast Guard worked closely with Guatemalan officials during the interdiction.
“I am proud of the Bertholf’s crew and congratulate them on this milestone achievement for the Coast Guard’s newest cutter,” said Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard. “The cutter is serving in the Southern approaches to stop the flow of drugs across the Southwest Border along with some of the very Coast Guard ships she was designed to replace -- and she’s living up the to a high standard set by her predecessors. The Bertholf’s management of this very dynamic law enforcement situation shows the usefulness and importance of launching a new generation of modern, well equipped cutters to protect the American people.”
July 18 – The Coast Guard rescued two adults and one child stranded on the rocks near Rodeo Beach in Sausalito around 8 p.m. They received the report from a passing mariner who witnessed the stranded individuals but could not get close enough to help. A 47-foot motor lifeboat from Station Golden Gate and an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station San Francisco were launched to the scene. The National Park Service and the local sheriff’s department also responded. However, due to the location of the rocks, it was necessary to airlift the stranded people. The helicopter crew successfully hoisted all three individuals and brought them back to the air station. No injuries were reported, and it is unknown why the three were out on the rocks.
The Coast Guard reminds people to use caution while hiking on low-lying beach areas and rocks and to adhere to all posted warning signs. Large waves can come quickly and sweep even strong swimmers out to sea.
July 20 – The Coast Guard med-evaced a 27-year-old woman from the cruise ship Silver Shadow. The ship had departed from San Francisco that day and was en route to Ketchikan, Alaska when it called the Coast Guard at approximately 11 p.m. On-scene conditions required a helicopter, so a rescue helicopter crew from Air Station San Francisco was launched to complete the med-evac, which was conducted approximately 50 miles west of Point Reyes. The patient was taken to the Coast Guard air station, transferred to an awaiting ambulance and was taken to Mills-Peninsula Health Services Hospital, where she underwent surgery.
