The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reported conducting multiple water rescues Wednesday in the Isla Vista and Goleta Beach areas.
The first report of a surfer in distress came in at about 9:15 a.m. Fire officials say the surfer had started out at Campus Point but ended up in the water off Goleta Beach.
A water rescue crew consisting of rescue swimmers, jet skis and a helicopter were called out and the surfer was successfully rescued.
#WaterRescues-SBC has performed multiple water rescues in the Isla Vista & Goleta Beach areas Wednesday due to extremely high surf. (These photos are from four separate rescues of surfers in distress) **Call Newsline for Additional Info** pic.twitter.com/o4Nh1noYEm
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2019
In the two hours following, fire officials say they rescued four other surfers in the Isla Vista area, including a 67-year-old man who was complaining of hypothermia.
Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said there was extremely high surf Wednesday and stressed that “inexperienced surfers should not be in the water today.”
