SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard rescued two boaters Thursday after their 92-foot yacht sank approximately nine miles south of Monterey Bay.
Crewmemers aboard the Going Coastal made a mayday call at approximately 11:45 a.m. via VHF-FM channel 16, reporting their yacht was taking on water approximately 35 miles south of Monterey.
Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders issued an urgent marine-information broadcast, dispatched a Coast Guard Station Monterey 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and diverted a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist.
The Going Coastal crew followed up that the flooding was under control prompting the Coast Guard to cancel the Dolphin helicopter crew.
The RB-M crew arrived on scene at approximately 1:30 p.m., assessed the situation, transferred a crewmember and dewatering pump to the yacht and began escorting the ship toward Monterey Bay.
Around 3:45 p.m., the crew noticed the rate of flooding had increased and the Coast Guard dispatched a Dolphin crew to assist.
The MH-65 Dolphin crew arrived on scene around 4:55 p.m. and delivered its rescue swimmer and a second dewatering pump to the Going Coastal.
At approximately 5:20 p.m., the ship had reportedly lost electrical and engine power and the flooding rate continued to increase.
The Coast Guard RB-M crew rescued the Going Coastal crewmembers before the yacht sank approximately nine miles south of Monterey Bay.
The Coast Guard took the Going Coastal crew back to Monterey with no reported injuries.
The owner of the yacht reported the vessel had around 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel aboard and is working with his insurance company to salvage the vessel.
An Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter will conduct an overflight Friday at 8 a.m.
Coast Guard Sector San Francisco’s Incident Management Division is working with the owner and will approve the salvage plan.
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