Boat crashes on Palos Verdes coast, 2 fishermen missing after exhaustive search
Two men who went out fishing from the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles Monday night remain missing Tuesday after their boat was discovered crashed on the Palos Verdes coastline in the early morning.
A call went out to the Los Angeles County Fire Department around 5 a.m. Tuesday to search for the two men as they were supposed to return to Cabrillo Beach around midnight.
Jake Miller, LACFD ocean lifeguard specialist, said they began searching the Palos Verdes coast for the men, who were hoop-net fishing in the area.
"We started our search around 5:30 a.m. We had boats in the area searching for them and we located the boat that was overturned here in Palos Verdes. From there we started a shoreline search, where we had people on foot search the area both upcoast and downcoast of the vessel."
The 25-foot boat was found crashed and overturned in a rocky area at the base of the cliffs between Bluff Cove and Lunada Bay in Palos Verdes Estates, which is located in south Los Angeles County.
Search efforts continued on the water, with boats and jet skis, and from the air with drones, Miller said. Multiple agencies assisted LACFD in searching for the men, including the Coast Guard and the Redondo Beach Fire Department.
By Tuesday afternoon, Miller said, "Nothing's been found. The two individuals have not been found." With search efforts completed, he said the Palos Verdes Estates Police will handle any outstanding person reports and continue land searches.
A high surf warning was in effect for Monday and Tuesday for Los Angeles County beaches where waves reached 8-12 feet, with strong, dangerous rip currents creating hazardous ocean conditions.
"Whenever there are hazardous conditions in the ocean, especially as a lifeguard, we always advise people to check in with any of the local weather, just to know what kind of conditions you're up against," Miller said.
California's coastline is contending with dangerous high surf and the threat of flooding this week. On Monday afternoon, in Northern California, a portion of the Santa Cruz wharf collapsed, sending three construction workers into the water. Two were rescued and a third made it to shore on their own.
Also Monday, one man died on a Santa Cruz County beach after officials said he appeared to have become trapped by debris that was washed up by a large wave.
Another man went missing Monday off Marina State Beach in Monterey County after being pulled into the water by a high surf. Another person went missing off Pebble Beach, also in Monterey County. Both had not been found as of Tuesday.