Emergency crews from the San Francisco Fire Department swiftly came to the aid of two individuals in peril on Lake Merced yesterday afternoon following an incident where their boat overturned and left them clinging to the hull. According to a social media post from the San Francisco Fire Department, the pair were found atop their capsized vessel by SFFD Station 19, which included a rescue swimmer. They were later assisted to shore by a civilian paddleboarder.
2 people were rescued in Lake Merced around 4:45 PM. SFFD crews from Station 19 who had a rescue swimmer with them located the people needing assistance who were on top of their capsized boat. With the rescue swimmer and a civilian on their paddleboard , they were able to get… pic.twitter.com/6UPEibI3mp
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) November 25, 2024
Firefighters arrived at approximately 4:45 PM to discover the duo without the means to swim safely. Once at shore, they were medically evaluated by the awaiting responders. A Good Samaritan playing an instrumental role in the rescue with their paddleboard was thanked by the SFFD.
A San Francisco Chronicle report provides additional details that shed light on how the rescue unfolded. The report indicates a life jacket was available among the ejected items from their boat, enabling rescuers to extend it to one person. The fire department's rescue swimmer employed a padded buoy to secure the second person's safety.
