26 people rescued from charter fishing boat flooding in Mexican waters south of San Diego

26 rescued from flooded fishing boat off San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Police and U.S. Coast Guard officers rescued 26 people Friday from a charter fishing boat that was flooding after damaging its hull in Mexican waters south of San Diego, authorities said.

A mayday call was received at 1:20 a.m. from the 62-foot Sea Adventure II, which was taking on water near South Coronado Island some 15 miles south of San Diego, and a helicopter and search boat were launched, Coast Guard Petty Officer Henry Dunphy said in a statement.

San Diego Harbor police and the Coast Guard rescued 22 of the people on board, and four crew members helped the Coast Guard use pumps to keep the vessel afloat until it reached port, Dunphy said.

Phil Lobred, owner of H and M Landing where the boat docked, said the vessel hit a rock that left a bowling ball-size hole in the hull.

The Coast Guard was investigating the circumstances of the incident, Dunphy said. Field sobriety tests on the crew came back negative and drug tests were pending, he said.

Investigators were interviewing crew members and examining the boat’s damage, Dunphy said.

Mexican authorities were notified of the incident, he said.

Calls to Sea Adventure 80 Sportfishing Co., which operates the boat, were not immediately returned.