US

Multiple Deaths Reported in Odd San Diego Boat Capsizing, Sinking

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A sailboat capsized and threw 10 people into the waters of San Diego Bay, leaving two men dead, one woman in intensive care, and seven other people injured, authorities said.

Harbor police pulled all who were aboard from the water and took them to a boat dock where firefighters and paramedics provided aid following the sinking around 5 p.m. PDT Sunday.

Two men in their 50s or 60s were declared dead at the scene and the other eight were taken to local hospitals. Two children were released from the hospital after being treated briefly, San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Maurice Luque said..

None of the injuries was life-threatening, he said.

Though just 10 people were reported to be aboard, divers searched the sunken wreckage for any additional victims.

“We are confident that everyone is accounted for,” Luque said.

One woman was being treated in intensive care at UCSD Medical Center for hypothermia, said Marguerite Elicone, a spokeswoman for the Port of San Diego, which includes the Harbor Police.

Most of those on board were members of an Asian family, and investigators had to bring in translators to speak to them, Luque said. He did not know what language they spoke. No victims’ names were immediately released.

Investigators were trying to determine why the boat flipped over then sank near Shelter Island.

No other vessels were involved, Elicone said. There were several witnesses but the spokeswoman said she didn’t know what they saw.

Harbor police were leading the investigation.

The U.S. Coast Guard also responded to the scene, but phone messages left for them were not immediately returned.

Harbor Police officers were at the 25-foot boat within five minutes after a Navy vessel reported the boat capsized, Elicone said.

“They were pulling people out of the water. There were also civilians assisting in pulling people out of the water,” she said.

—

Associated Press writer Andrew Dalton contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

Comments (45)

  • kickagrandma
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:42pm

    You all are wonderful! What a wealth of information about both the locale and sailing. Thanks!

    Not being from the area, or a sailor (tried it once, and liked it), I just typed the first thing that came to mind when I read the article, esp. I guess after all the hoopla about the “contrail” off the California coast earlier this year….

    Life is not dull!

    Again, thanks “y’all” for all the info and responses.

    GOD BLESS.

    Report Post »  
  • SuperSparky
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 4:57pm

    Wow, it’s amazing how speculation turns into conspiracy without any familiarity or evidence.

    The bay has to frequently be dredged near the Navy base because it is too shallow. The subs travel above the water because they can’t submerge. The bay’s contours and depth is well known and there would be absolutely no reason for any vessel to be dragging an array there. The Navy has better places to submerge, train, and test than in a civilian packed bay.

    Think people, good grief! We’ll soon know what happened. Personally, I think it was exactly as theorized by an owner of this same model boat. It is likely it was not properly ballasted, and or everyone did move to one side. Who knows? The Harbor Police will find out. They are good at their job. In all likelihood the boat will be raised and investigated. It’s not very deep there.

    Geez, I can hardly wait for the next crackpot theory. Boats sink all of the time. Either from vessel failure or captain inexperience/incompetence.

    Report Post »  
  • lorikeet
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 4:29pm

    I live in San Diego and I don’t think subs hang out in that area of the bay. I don‘t think it’s deep enough and there’s way too much civilian watercraft / recreational boaters.

    Report Post » lorikeet  
  • annieoakley
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:45pm

    The pacific is cold water. Ask the Navy Seals.

    Report Post »  
  • redwoodsailor
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:38am

    1. There was no appreciable wind at the time. Ergo, no heeling.
    2. There is no keel visible in the aerial video footage.
    3. The most likely scenario is that the keel bolts rusted out, the keel fell to the bottom, and the boat capsized immediately because of instability.
    4. With no keel: The more weight above the waterline, the greater the instability.
    5. Had they all been wearing PDF’s (life vests), there would likely have been no injuries whatsoever.
    6. Reports of hypothermia seem ridiculous–the water in that bay is not that cold and the exposure time was short.
    7. This is a sad accident, but accidents do happen on the water. Always wear your life jacket, duh.

    Report Post »  
    • flrick
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:46pm

      The boat is a MacGregor 26D, which is a water ballast boat with a fiberglass centerboard. No keel to fall off, but if the ballast is not filled to the top, the boat will be unstable. I know, I’ve been sailing one just like it for 10 years, sometimes with ten people on board.

      Report Post »  
    • warpspeed
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 4:50pm

      Question? Where are the mast, boom, and sails? Centerboard or not, the centerboard on this boat has weight in it to keep it upright. And what is the experience of the skipper. Where they even sailing or just motoring around? Acidental jibe, eh?

      Report Post »  
    • flrick
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 5:54pm

      No, the centerboard weighs 35 pounds. The water ballast is what keeps it upright. You have to open a valve when you launch the boat to fill the ballast tank. If they did not do that, there’s no doubt the boat will capsize. Of course the warning stickers are in English.
      If you watch the video, you can see the broken mast laying on top of the boat as they’re towing it in.

      Report Post »  
  • goatkid
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:18am

    @grandma
    If it was a sub, we will never be told.

    Report Post »  
  • bikerl
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:16am

    I live in SD….they are illegals! I would be very surprise if they are not!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Shellback
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 10:55am

    For those who thought it was a sub, should do a little more research into the geographical location of Shelter Island. The subarmarines are stationed at Point Loma, and surface about 5 or more miles out prior to entering PL. Shelter Island further is further inland. Towed arrary? Every single surface ship going to sea from 32nd naval base would take out any “towed array”. The boat had too many people. Very sad indeed.

    Report Post » Shellback  
  • warpspeed
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:46am

    Where is the centerboard/keel? It is possible that the keel fell off which would capsize the boat easily. That is possibly an old boat and the loss of the keel could have happened. As a racing sailor, capsizing is not a uncommon thing, but everyone on board should be prepared for the worse especiallly if anyone there is a non swimmer. The hatch covers were probably open and that would have allowed water to flow into the boat when it is on its side and that would have sunk it easily, too. No one mentions the wind at the time of the incident. A lot of wind, and an accidental jibe could have all been enough to heel the boat far enough over to cause this unfortunate accident. AND, just how experinced was the skipper?

    Report Post »  
  • rightwingheroes
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:35am

    They were smuggling Asians and the boat was overloaded.

    Report Post »  
  • PaultheConsultant
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:29am

    When under sail, a sailboat will list (lean) to one side or another when the wind is blowing. A unexpected gust (remember, you can’t see the wind) with an overloaded boat could…repeat, could… turn it over. Ideally the counter weight of the keel and/or centerboard would help offset this possibility, but as anyone who sails knows, sometimes ‘things’ can happen very quickly. Sorry for the fatalities. Wonder if they could swim or had on life jackets…or, ideally, both.

    Report Post » PaultheConsultant  
  • Chicago Ray
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:16am

    A sad shame, prayers for the lost and injured as always :(…

    Sometimes people are so taken aback by the open water’s beauty and seeming serenity, they forget or are just unaware (incredibly if you’re gonna get on one) how deadly it can be. A lot of foreigners don’t know how to swim as a whole…… sad fact, many Americans don’t, although the illegals do it pretty darn well.

    On a lighter side, that’s why Mexico has no Olympic track and swim teams , all the ones who can run jump and swim are here.

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
  • raderby
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:10am

    Human trafficking (upscale) or Chinese operative import, or both. Using the old San Diego loop-jump used by booze smugglers during Prohibition.

    Report Post » raderby  
  • Schteveo
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:58am

    10 people on a 25‘ boat doesn’t just SEEM like a LOT of people. A boat that size would sleep 4 or 5 people, so TEN people is WAY too many people, IMHO. (but the Coast Guard hasn’t said that in the article) It’s easy to turn over if you are overloaded, If they tacked and everyone didn’t shift correctly…SPLASH!! And that’s just a seamanship issue. How experienced was the ‘Captain’? His ‘crew’?

    Next, we don’t now if this boat was fully sea worthy. Was it old or run down, was it newly refurbished, what kind of shape were the sails in, how about the rigging, cleats, pulleys, hull, rudder…there are a thousand things that can go wrong on a sail boat. And some of them failing can get you killed.

    BTW, what ‘Asian language’ did they speak that no one in SD understood them? I question if this boat didn’t sail out to international waters, pick up some (non-English speaking) Asian illegal aliens, and then it turned over on the way back, being overloaded.

    I’m a little surprised at the SD media too.

    There’s no mention of any weather conditions. No sea state, winds, direction of winds, tides, nuttin’ honey!. I was stationed out there, at 32nd Street, long ago. The SD media used to tell all of that when there was any death or accident in the water. I’ve been around the water all my life, if there‘s a ’wet’ news story, the weather and sea state will play a huge part in any accident, and are almost always mentioned.

    Here’s to hoping the families get through their losses as quickly as possible. Prayers are sent.

    Report Post »  
  • Schteveo
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:56am

    10 people on a 25‘ boat doesn’t just SEEM like a LOT of people. A boat that size would sleep 4 or 5 people, so TEN people is WAY too many people, IMHO. (but the Coast Guard hasn’t said that in the article) It’s easy to turn over if you are overloaded, If they tacked and everyone didn’t shift correctly…SPLASH!! And that’s just a seamanship issue. How experienced was the ‘Captain’?

    Next, we don’t now if this boat was fully sea worthy. Was it old or run down, was it newly refurbished, what kind of shape were the sails in, how about the rigging, cleats, pulleys, hull, rudder…there are a thousand things that can go wrong on a sail boat. And some of them failing can get you killed.

    BTW, what ‘Asian language’ did they speak that no one in SD understood them? I question if this boat didn’t sail out to international waters, pick up some (non-English speaking) Asian illegal aliens, and then it turned over on the way back, being overloaded.

    I’m a little surprised at the SD media too.

    There’s no mention of any weather conditions. No sea state, winds, direction of winds, tides, nuttin’ honey!. I was stationed out there, at 32nd Street, long ago. The SD media used to tell all of that when there was any death or accident in the water. I’ve been around the water all my life, if there‘s a ’wet’ news story, the weather and sea state will play a huge part in any accident, and are almost always mentioned.

    Here’s to hoping the families get through their losses as quickly as possible. Prayers are sent.

    Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 5:10pm

      If God wanted us on the water, He would have given us webbed feat.

      Report Post »  
  • Marcia
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:56am

    10 people on a 25′ sailboat is totally inappropriate. They were likely over powered by a gust of wind in the sails. Doesn’t take much on a boat that small.

    Report Post »  
  • Marcia
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:53am

    10 people on a 25″ sailboat is totally inappropriate! No wonder it capsized! I’m a sailor, so no surprise here!

    Report Post »  
  • GEW
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:24am

    “No other vessels were involved, Elicone said. There were several witnesses but the spokeswoman said she didn’t know what they saw.”

    Do anyone else find this strange?

    Report Post » GEW  
  • BigBouy
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 8:01am

    10 people on a 25′ boat could be too many.

    Report Post »  
    • HisStoryUn
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:33am

      IS too many period! I wouldn‘t put more than 6 on my 35’ sailboat for any reason!

      Report Post » HisStoryUn  
    • flrick
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:40pm

      Ten people on a 26 foot boat falls within Coast Guard specs. The rule of thumb is length times beam divided by 15. The boat is a MacGregor 26D. 26 feet x 8 feet = 208 divided by 15 = 13.8 people.
      I suspect the water ballast tank was empty or partially filled because the boat overturned. If it layed over on it’s side because too many people were on that side, as people fell off, the boat would right itself, not turn over.

      Report Post »  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:52am

    My thought was a sub…but there I go thinking again….

    Report Post »  
    • RollyBones
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:57am

      Or a Navy towed array hooked the keel. I thought of a Sub myself on first reading. Wonder if we will ever really find out?

      Rolly

      Report Post » RollyBones  
    • Schteveo
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:11am

      A sub would be SUBmerged.

      Towed array would likewise be UNDERwater.

      A 25‘ sailboat won’t have a very deep draft, so I don’t see then getting tangled up.

      PLUS, they don’t run out the towed array coming or going from Point Loma. They have to be in “X” number of feet of water before they operate a towed array, and they have that puppy run out KILOMETERS behind the sub. The harbor and channel aren’t deep enough or long enough and the subs and ships creep in and out compared to operating speeds at sea. There are minimum speeds for the array too.

      (submariners chime in here to confirm, if you can, I’m JUST an old ASW type squid, I just know there ARE rules, don’t know exactly what they are) (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, two kinds of ships, subs and targets) (awww, BS!)

      Report Post »  
    • pschlentz
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 10:59am

      @Grandma:
      I grew up in San Diego and used to fish off Shelter Island… well, guess what? There’s a submarine base less than a mile down that shoreline off Point Loma, right across the bay from Coronado Island (big military installation), infact that whole area is military dominated.
      If your suspicions are true, we will never know, guaranteed!

      Report Post »  
    • HisStoryUn
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:21am

      Just to clear up a few facts for the conspiracy theorists;
      1. Submarines NEVER travel under water inside San Diego Harbor.
      2. Submarines NEVER deploy “towed arrays” inside San Diego Harbor.
      3. The article does not say whether the vesel was a power or sail boat and for the purpose of speculating on what went wrong one would need to know which it was.
      4. 10 people on ANY type of 25′ vessel would be too many to be considered safe. These folks [and] the Coast Guard knew it.

      Report Post » HisStoryUn  
    • HisStoryUn
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:35am

      Sorry – the vid does say sailboat. My bad…

      Report Post » HisStoryUn  
    • Czar Casm
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:58pm

      OK, a Chinese sub then.

      Report Post »  
  • NeoKong
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:51am

    All asians….?
    No one speaks english…?
    Right on the border….?
    Hmmm……..

    Report Post » NeoKong  
    • foobear
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 10:44pm

      I lived in San Diego. There’s a lot of Vietnamese that fled communism there. In fact, I’d say they probably hate communism more than you having seen what it can do to a country first hand.

      Their kids are generally doing pretty well and living the American dream. Keep your racism to yourself.

      Report Post » foobear  
  • nacilbuper
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:50am

    This is sad. Watch out for an earthquake very soon.

    Report Post » nacilbuper  
  • sissykatz
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:47am

    Praying for all involved. So sad.

    Report Post »  
  • dizzyinthedark
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:39am

    Very sad indeed, I am sorry for the families who lost their family members.

    I am scratching my head and wondering what made that vessel turn on its side. First thoughts were too much weight on one side–10 people, water and fuel tanks filled on the same side? Maybe a thru hull leaked bringing water in below? An investigation will only tell. My prayers to all involved.

    Report Post » dizzyinthedark  
    • JoeyBagaDonuts
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:53am

      If it wasn’t taking on water it had to be overloaded and top heavy. Captain must have had family and friends over and was not thinking safety before hospitality. Very sad, I feel bad for the families and the captain.

      Report Post »  
  • Ironmaan
    Posted on March 28, 2011 at 7:24am

    Very sad. I hope the survivors recover fully.
    http://guerillatics.com

    Report Post »  
    • Toodumtu
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:03am

      Seems like a lot of people for a 25 foot boat.

      Report Post »  
    • Lesterp
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 11:50am

      That is a lot of people for a 25′ sailboat. I know the area well and not surprised civilians were trying to help, it is a very large sailing community.

      Report Post » Lesterp  
    • Czar Casm
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:50pm

      Asian people? Maybe it wasn’t a sail boat but one of those Asian islands that can capsize when too many people get on it. You know, like Gaum. It must have floated over here.

      Report Post »  
    • flrick
      Posted on March 28, 2011 at 3:18pm

      That boat is a MacGregor 26D, which is a water ballasted boat. I know because I have one just like it. I’ve had ten people (all adults) on my boat, so I don’t think that was the problem. Maybe if they all went to the starboard side at the same time, to see a dolphin or something, it could happen. What I suspect is the water ballast tank was empty, or not filled all the way up. These boats are not supposed to be operated without ballast, and I know from when I launch mine, that until the ballast tank is filled, the boat is very tippy. Very sad.

      Report Post »  
    • Salamander
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 12:48am

      FLRICK–Nice post! I looked up the MacGregor 26D brochure. The water ballast system adds 1200 lbs of fixed ballast, which is flooded by opening a valve and within 6 minutes of launch, the valve is closed and the boat is self-righting and ready to sail. At haulout, opening the valve allows the ballast to drain, thus eliminating 1200 lbs of trailering weight! With 10 people on board, it sounds like the skipper forgot to flood the ballast tank–there can be a lot of chatter and distractions at launch! This is really sad, akin to forgetting to lower the landing gear on an aircraft (or having a curious passenger ask what the ‘little wheel’ is for, as they flip it up–just after you put power to the aircraft!)

      Report Post »  

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