Two men were rescued off the coast of San Diego early Monday after they called 911 when the 25-foot boat they had just bought began taking on water, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.
A Coast Guard boat and helicopter, as well as a Navy ship and San Diego lifeguards, responded to the emergency call, which came in around midnight, Coast Guard spokesperson Adam Stanton said.
The two Mexican nationals, ages 58 and 64, were driving the boat south when it began to take on water. At one point, the men fired off a flare, which helped rescuers pinpoint their location.
Stanton said the men had bought the cuddy cabin in North County and intended to take it to Ensenada.
Coast Guard crew members could not “secure the source of the flooding” so the vessel was deemed unsafe to tow, a Coast Guard press release said. The two men, who were unhurt, were rescued, and the boat was left adrift. Boaters in the area were notified of the navigational hazard.
The men were holding visas and were brought to Shelter Island. After being questioned by Border Patrol agents, they were cleared and released to family members.
The disabled boat eventually sank, Coast Guard officials said.
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