Coast Guard rescues SF Bay kite boarders

Coast Guard boat crews rescued two distressed kite boarders in two separate locations Saturday in San Francisco Bay.

According to U.S. Coast Guard officials, around 4:30 p.m. they received a report of a downed kite boarder near Coyote Point in San Mateo.

At about 5 p.m., a boat crew arrived and recovered the kite boarder from the water and returned the man and his gear to Coyote Point with no reported medical concerns.

At 5:50 p.m., onlookers at Crissy Field in San Francisco notified Coast Guard officials of a downed kite boarder located about 400 yards west of Anita Rock.

According to Coast Guard officials, a boat crew arrived at 6:10 p.m. and rescued the man and his equipment. He was transported to Pier 45 with no reported medical concerns.

According to Petty Officer Second Class Jacob Hamburg, these cases are common in the San Francisco Bay.

“We advise kite boarders to keep a marine band radio with them, as that is the quickest way to contact rescue service,” Hamburg said.

In addition to wearing wetsuits, Coast Guard officials advise kite boarders to wear a life jacket, as wetsuits provide limited buoyancy.