Three men were rescued Thursday morning after making a mayday call as the boat they were on was rapidly sinking 6 miles off the North County coast, a fire official said.
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A dog that had been aboard the boat was not found, according to Oceanside Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Farnham.
A transmission from the 39-foot vessel came over the emergency channel just before 5:50 am. “Mayday. Mayday. Mayday,” according to a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson, who said members of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego picked up the call.
They then heard: “We are going down,” the spokesperson said.
But the boat stopped transmitting, according to Farnham, and the people on board were not responding.
Coast Guard officials were able to triangulate the boat’s last radio signal to a spot about 6 nautical miles northwest of Oceanside Harbor. They launched a helicopter and headed to the area.
About 6:10 a.m., Oceanside’s Marine Safety Unit was asked to assist with the search and rescue, Farnham said.
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As the rescue unit approached the boat’s last known site, one of the crew members spotted three men in the water. The rescue crew brought them aboard.
According to Farnham, the men reported that the boat sank quickly after it began taking on water. They called for help, put on lifejackets and got into the water before the boat went under.
Farnham said the rescue crew, in coordination with the Coast Guard helicopter, searched the area for the vessel and the dog. Neither was found.
A paramedic on the rescue boat determined the men were suffering from exhaustion and mild hypothermia, Farnham said. He said they were given food, water and warm clothing, and they declined medical treatment. The men were taken to Oceanside Harbor and released.
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