11 Rescued From Catamaran After It Takes On Water Off OC Coast

DANA POINT, CA — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 11 people from a charter catamaran after it started taking on water off the coast of Orange County, the agency said Sunday.

Monitors from the Coast Guard's Los Angeles/Long Beach sector received a distress call at around 6:20 p.m. Saturday from the operator of the 50-foot catamaran Manute'a, who reported the vessel was flooding as it was making its way toward Dana Point Harbor.

The Dana Point Harbor Patrol and Orange County Sheriff's Department assisted in the operation.

"Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach assumed command of the search and rescue mission, issued an urgent marine information broadcast, and launched a response boat from Station Los Angeles while diverting the Coast Guard Cutter David Duren," according to a Coast Guard statement. "The cutter's small boat crew, along with partner agency vessels, arrived on scene, controlled the flooding, and safely transferred all 11 passengers to another charter vessel, operated by the same company."

A tow boat took the Manute'a back to Dana Point Harbor.