Boaters rescued from Oakland Estuary

Two people were rescued Tuesday morning when their watercraft started to sink at the mouth of the Oakland Estuary, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Crews responded to a report via radio transmission from a person on a 29-foot pleasure watercraft that was quickly taking on water at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Coast Guard officials said. Crews launched a 45-foot boat from Station San Francisco and reached the scene minutes later with the assistance of a San Francisco police marine unit and Vessel Assist San Francisco Bay & Delta, a 24-hour marine vessel assistance company.

Rescuers were able to take out the water on the craft using dewatering pumps. Once they were able to stabilize the vessel, it was towed to a yacht club in Alameda, Coast Guard officials said. The two people operating the vessel were not injured and an investigation of the craft determined the pair did not make any violations, according to Coast Guard officials.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Carolanne Thomas said in a statement:

“I think it’s important to stress how important safe boating practices are to saving lives and property. … The operator having a radio on board tuned to and monitoring VHF Channel 16 allowed them to quickly notify us of their emergency as well as their location.”