Five people were rescued from a pleasure boat that took on water and lost power about 17 miles off the coast of San Diego.
The Coast Guard says the 30-foot vessel, the PMS Escape II, sent out a distress call Saturday evening.
Fisherman Lee Fleming heard the call for help on Channel 16.
“It was ‘Mayday, Mayday we’re going down,’” he recalled.
Fleming said he and the six others on his vessel, the Jawbreaker2, were heading in to San Diego after a weekend of fishing when they heard the call and turned to help.
They were only seven or eight miles south of the boat in distress. When they arrived 30 minutes later, the boat was listing pretty heavily.
The Coast Guard station in San Diego dispatched a helicopter, a cutter and 45-foot response boat. A pump was lowered to the PMS Escape II from the helicopter, Fleming said.
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Four adults and a 15-year-old boy were rescued. No injuries were reported.
The stricken boat was towed back to San Diego on Saturday.
Fleming said his wasn't the only civilian vessel heading to help out. Others were either on their way or had arrived soon after the Jawbreaker.
“Any good seaman on the water, boater on the water always monitors channel 16,” he said referring to the radio channel used for emergencies at sea. “Or you should,” he added.
The Coast Guard says it was determined that the flood was due to a faulty fitting in the engine.
