Dramatic sea rescue saves seven

Seven people were rescued Sunday, Nov. 4, by the quick work of Coast Guard, Bodega Bay Fire, Petaluma Fire, Marin Fire and Henry 1, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s helicopter. Sunday was opening day of the recreational crab season and the agencies had extra patrols.

A 25 foot pleasure craft from Elk Grove capsized at the entrance of Tomales Bay just before 1:30 p.m. Henry 1 was first on the scene and saw three adults and two children clinging to the overturned vessel. Within nine minutes they had lifted all of them to the shore, but were told two children were trapped under the vessel.

A Coast Guard rescue swimmer tied a long line to the boat after determining the children were alive by tapping on the hull and calling them. They towed the vessel to the shore, then cut a hole in it to free the children.