Very early Sunday morning, Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay command center watchstanders received a notification that the sailing vessel ‘Playtime’ reportedly struck a submerged object in heavy fog one nautical mile offshore. The vessel began taking on water with two people onboard who only had their cell phones and emergency flares available.
At approximately 1:00am watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Noyo River 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew.
The boatcrew arrived on scene at 1:45am and recovered two people from the vessel. The survivors were transported by the boatcrew to Fort Bragg, California., in good condition.
The Playtime was determined unsafe to attempt to salvage and was reported submerged with Sector Humboldt Bay issuing a broadcast to alert mariners of a potential hazard-to-navigation.
“This case could have gone south quickly,” said Capt. Mark Hiigel, commander, Sector Humboldt Bay. “Search and rescue, especially at night, is inherently risky and is almost always a difficult mission to complete. The more a mariner is prepared with appropriate safety gear and emergency communications, the more likely there will be a successful outcome.”
