TowBoatUS San Diego recovers vessel 28 miles offshore after USCG remove crew in rough seas

What started out as a productive late season fishing trip for a couple of fishermen turned into a fight for their safety. The trip started about 5:00 a.m. Monday with a run to the tuna grounds in relatively calm waters. The fishing was good catching some 20-25 pound Yellow fin Tuna but the weather started to deteriorate so it was time to head back to port.

Around 5 pm the engine sputtered and the boat became disabled. Calls for help came unanswered due to a malfunctioning radio. A distress flag was tied to the 6′ radio antenna in hopes that a passerby would see it. As darkness fell the weather started turning the seas and the swell built, a call came into the USCG reporting a vessel waving a distress flag. With night fall already a factor and no communications with the vessel, the USCG deployed a 33′ Rescue boat. The vessel was located late Monday night 28 miles southwest of Point Loma. Once the USCG arrived on scene they deemed it unsafe to attempt a tow due to extremely rough weather so they took the mariners off the vessel and headed back to the safety of San Diego Bay.
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