Two kayakers spent hours adrift in the ocean after their kayak overturned near a Southern California island before a Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted them to safety.
The pair called for aid at 11:17 p.m. on Aug. 14 after their 14-foot kayak overturned about a half-mile from Arch Rock near Anacapa Island, the U.S. Coast Guard shared.
By the time they called, the kayakers said they had been adrift and taking on water for approximately four hours. Both were wearing wetsuits and life jackets, but they had no marine radio, Patch writes.
Coast Guard crews responded by air and sea and pulled off a remarkable rescue, ending the maritime nightmare.
A Helicopter Reached Them Around Midnight
After the call came in, the Coast Guard sent crews from Air Station Ventura and Station Channel Islands. TowBoatUS Ventura also responded.
A Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Ventura reached the kayakers around midnight and hoisted both from the water. Footage released by the Coast Guard and shared by DVIDS shows the nighttime rescue.
Patch writes that the helicopter took the pair to Oxnard Airport, and the kayakers received care from Ventura County emergency medical services.
TowBoatUS Ventura later recovered their kayak and belongings, the Coast Guard said.
Their Cellphones Became a Lifeline
Lt. Cmdr. Jason Caprioli, search and rescue mission coordinator for Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, said the kayakers were fortunate to still have cellphone service when they needed help.
“Thankfully the kayakers were in cellphone range,” Caprioli said in the Coast Guard’s release.
Caprioli also urged anyone on the water to carry a VHF-FM marine radio and a signaling device, rather than relying on a cellphone alone.
The Coast Guard further recommends life jackets and signaling equipment, including a whistle, mirror, flashlight, or personal locator beacon. These kayakers had two vital pieces of safety equipment that supported their rescue: both wore life jackets and wetsuits during the hours they spent in the water.