14 People Rescued After Abandoning Ship near Santa Cruz Island

[Updated: Tue., June 20, 2023, 3:15pm]

The U.S. Coast Guard and a Good Samaritan rescued 14 people who abandoned a sinking ship after it struck a rock and began taking on water near Santa Cruz Island early Thursday morning. By Saturday, the Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response had removed the fully submerged and anchored vessel from the ocean.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach Command Center in San Pedro, California, received a mayday call at 2:33 a.m. on June 15 from the captain of the Sea Jay, a charter passenger vessel carrying 10 passengers and four crewmembers, according to a statement released by the Coast Guard. The captain instructed the passengers and crew to abandon ship while he anchored the vessel and released the life raft, which he then boarded himself.

Command Center watchstanders immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting help from any nearby boaters as a rescue crew deployed on a small boat from Coast Guard Station Channel Islands and a helicopter from Forward Operating Base Point Mugu. Meanwhile, the Sea Biscuit, a nearby vessel that had received the emergency broadcast over the radio, arrived on the scene and began to recover the survivors. 

The survivors then boarded a California Department of Fish and Wildlife small boat and a Coast Guard Station Channel Islands small boat, which transported them to shore where emergency medical services awaited them.

“This was a dynamic case that resulted in lives saved due to the quick actions of a Good Samaritan, our Coast Guard watchstanders, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,” said Captain Ryan Manning, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach. “Thankfully, we were able to quickly respond to ensure all persons made it home safely.” 

After the Sea Jay sank, a sheen was reported in the vicinity of the vessel, whose diesel tanks have a total capacity of 220 gallons. In a follow-up statement on Friday, the Coast Guard announced a 21-hour salvage operation was underway to recover the sunken vessel, involving a five-member salvage team and “an additional team of three technicians equipped with an oil spill trailer containing 2,000 feet of boom stands ready to respond to potential oil spills.”

“Throughout the removal operations, our primary focus remains on safety, efficiency, and environmental protection,” said Capt. Manning, the federal on-scene coordinator. “We’re committed to acting swiftly and safely, minimizing environmental impact and prioritizing the well-being of all involved. It’s a complex operation, but we’re prepared to handle it with the utmost professionalism and care.”

On Saturday, the Coast Guard reported the successful completion of the salvage operation, which included “underwater assessment, re-floating, stabilization, and the safe transfer of the vessel to harbor.”

“Our partnerships played a crucial role in the swift response and safe recovery and removal of the vessel. At no time during any phase of the operation were recoverable hydrocarbons present,” said Capt. Manning. “These actions have successfully mitigated any potential threat to public health and the environment.”

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.