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Massive Swells Capsize Sailboats At Mouth Of Santa Cruz Harbor; 12 Children Rescued From Turbulent Seas
SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) — A massive swell, kicked up by storms out in the Pacific Ocean, capsized several small sailboats ‘like dominoes’ at the mouth of the Santa Cruz Harbor Sunday afternoon, forcing marine rescue units and local surfers to pull 12 children who were taking part in a sail school from the turbulent, frigid waters.
While a tragedy was avoided in Santa Cruz that wasn’t the case elsewhere along the coast. A search was underway for a woman swept out to sea at Pescadero State Beach and a San Jose man in his 30s was missing after being swept from the bluffs into the ocean in the Marin Headlands area off Point Bonita.
Despite a high surf warning of waves ranging as high as 25 feet or more along the coast, a Santa Cruz sail school was in session at the mouth of the harbor when the large wave struck.
“Sail school was coming in and the white water just tumbled them and they were just like dominoes flying through the water,” said Anna Ritter, who watched the boats capsize and called 911 for help. “And five little kids were saved by some great surfers.”
Santa Cruz County Fire Battalion Chief Daniel Kline said the calls reporting the capsized boats and people in the water came in at 4:33 p.m.
Fortunately, officials had posted additional patrols along the waterfront and had two waterski units in the water because of the large swell so they were able to quickly respond.
“With the high swell advisories that we had upstaffed a bit,” he said. “When the call came in today, we had 2 skis in the water already.”
Rescue teams and surfers worked quickly, pulling the children out of the 50-plus degree water.
“No injuries,” Klein said. “Except for some wet, cold kids that needed to be handed back to their parents.”
COMPLETE REPORT
SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) — A massive swell, kicked up by storms out in the Pacific Ocean, capsized several small sailboats ‘like dominoes’ at the mouth of the Santa Cruz Harbor Sunday afternoon, forcing marine rescue units and local surfers to pull 12 children who were taking part in a sail school from the turbulent, frigid waters.
While a tragedy was avoided in Santa Cruz that wasn’t the case elsewhere along the coast. A search was underway for a woman swept out to sea at Pescadero State Beach and a San Jose man in his 30s was missing after being swept from the bluffs into the ocean in the Marin Headlands area off Point Bonita.
Despite a high surf warning of waves ranging as high as 25 feet or more along the coast, a Santa Cruz sail school was in session at the mouth of the harbor when the large wave struck.
“Sail school was coming in and the white water just tumbled them and they were just like dominoes flying through the water,” said Anna Ritter, who watched the boats capsize and called 911 for help. “And five little kids were saved by some great surfers.”
Santa Cruz County Fire Battalion Chief Daniel Kline said the calls reporting the capsized boats and people in the water came in at 4:33 p.m.
Fortunately, officials had posted additional patrols along the waterfront and had two waterski units in the water because of the large swell so they were able to quickly respond.
“With the high swell advisories that we had upstaffed a bit,” he said. “When the call came in today, we had 2 skis in the water already.”
Rescue teams and surfers worked quickly, pulling the children out of the 50-plus degree water.
“No injuries,” Klein said. “Except for some wet, cold kids that needed to be handed back to their parents.”
COMPLETE REPORT
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