SW-INC-0531SeaWise Incidents

off Santa Rosa Island - A lone sailor's 25-ft boat runs aground on a Santa Rosa Island beach; he calls the Coast Guard on channel 16 and is lifted off by helicopter

The sailboat went onto a beach in Channel Islands National Park. An MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Ventura retrieved the sailor, who was unhurt; a tow company later took the boat to Ventura Harbor.

verified · 6 sourcesN6
Vessel
off Santa Rosa Island25 ft · Sailboat (25 ft)
When
2026North Pacific Ocean
Crew
1 aboardAll survived
Outcome
Rescued
Position
Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Sea area
Santa Barbara Channel, Channel Islands
Coordinates
33.95°N, -120.10°WApproximate position
Summary

What happened.

On 24 September 2026 a lone sailor's 25-ft sailboat ran aground on a beach on Santa Rosa Island in California's Channel Islands. He called the Coast Guard on VHF channel 16, and an MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Ventura lifted him off unhurt. A tow company later recovered the boat to Ventura Harbor.

Shortly after noon on Thursday 24 September 2026 Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach took a distress call on VHF channel 16 from a sailor alone aboard a 25-ft recreational sailboat that had gone aground on a beach on Santa Rosa Island, part of Channel Islands National Park off Santa Barbara. Air Station Ventura sent an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, which retrieved the sailor and flew him to Camarillo Airport. Ventura County Fire Department paramedics checked him there and found him uninjured. A commercial towing company later pulled the boat off and took her to Ventura Harbor. The Coast Guard did not say what caused the grounding, and no weather was reported. What the account does show is that a single-hander on an island beach got help quickly because he could make a radio call.

ConditionsThursday 24 September 2026. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach received a VHF channel 16 distress call at 12:18 from the lone sailor of a 25-ft recreational sailboat aground on a beach on Santa Rosa Island. An MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Ventura retrieved him and flew him to Camarillo Airport, where Ventura County Fire Department evaluated him; he was uninjured. A towing company later took the boat to Ventura Harbor. The Coast Guard did not say what caused the grounding; weather was not reported. Sources: edhat, rvmnews and commondef (USCG release), 24-27 September 2026.
SeaWise noteThis sailor's VHF call on channel 16 was enough to bring a helicopter to an island beach. Keep a handheld radio in the grab bag as well as the fixed set, so you can still call when the boat is on her side.
Lessons learned

What it teaches.

  • 1
    Carry a waterproof handheld VHF in the grab bag. A grounded boat can lose power or lie at an angle that makes the fixed set unreachable, and channel 16 is still your fastest line to help.
    running aground rescue
  • 2
    Around offshore islands, plan landfalls for daylight and keep a generous margin off beaches with a swell running. Surf can carry a small boat ashore faster than an engine can pull her off.
    running aground on watch
Sources

Where this comes from.

News· EU/Med sailing newsCoast Guard rescues mariner from grounded sailboat off California islandVisit ↗News· KTLACoast Guard rescues mariner from grounded sailboat off California islandVisit ↗News· United States Coast Guard News (.mil)Coast Guard rescues mariner from grounded vessel on Santa Rosa IslandVisit ↗News· latimes.comCoast Guard rescues sailor after boat runs aground on Santa Rosa IslandVisit ↗News· edhatCoast Guard Rescues Sailor After Boat Runs Aground on Santa Rosa IslandVisit ↗News· Ventura County Star1 rescued after boat runs aground on Santa Rosa IslandVisit ↗

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GroundingRescueNorth Pacific Ocean
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Record IDSW-INC-0531
Curated bySeaWise editorial
Confidenceverified · 6 sources
Record typeIncident

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