Kayakers’ Screams Brought Help But One Unresponsive Victim Was Helicoptered to St. Joseph Hospital

US_Coast_Guard_Helicopter_in_flight (1)

Coast Guard helicopter [Stock photo from Wikipedia  by Vlad Lazarenko] 

Screams for help brought good Samaritans and the US Coast Guard helicopter racing to assist two kayakers who had fallen into the water near the mouth of the Eel River this afternoon, according to Angela Corbin Petty Officer First Class.  She reported that at 1:51 p.m. the Coast Guard received a request for assistance from the California Highway Patrol who had gotten a call that “someone was in the water and a general location. However, the call was dropped and dispatch was unable to gather all the needed information.”

The Coast Guard responded. “We sent a 47 foot lifeboat and helo,” Corbin said. “The small boat didn’t make it all the way before the helicopter got on scene…The people were already on the beach.”

Apparently, she said, two people in a kayak had somehow fallen into the ocean near Crab Beach in the Loleta area. Their screams for help had alerted people on the shore.  “Two Good Sam Kayakers went out to see if they could assist and helped bring them back,” Corbin explained. “We lowered rescue swimmer to investigate.”

“[We were] able to get one responsive and one was not responsive at the time,” Corbin reported. One did not need medical assistance and the other victim who was still unresponsive was taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka.

The status of the victim is unknown at this point.

[Photo attribution: By Vlad Lazarenko (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons]

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Bummer
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Bummer
8 years ago

Lucky they got a call out in that spot. That completely sucks. Out enjoying yourself and have something like this happens. I wish the best for the people.

Steve
Guest
Steve
8 years ago

That doesn’t sound good. The mouth of the river is very dangerous, especially on a out going tide.

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
8 years ago

St. Joe’s? Uh Oh.

Mr.X
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Mr.X
8 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

Might be better off on an outgoing tide than, St Jo… safer anyway.

Steve
Guest
Steve
8 years ago
Reply to  Mr.X

Both are high risk maneuvers.

Lost Croat Outburst
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Lost Croat Outburst
8 years ago
Reply to  Steve

St. joe’s? Oh, man. Were they wearing required life vests? Confirmation scapular?

THC
Guest
THC
8 years ago

Its early and I’ve only had one cup of coffee, but isn’t the hole idea of kayaking to be in the water?

Lynn
Guest
Lynn
8 years ago

Is there any updates on this story? It sounds as if someone might have lost their life.