NewsLocal News

Actions

No victims located, ocean rescue search suspended

Posted at 12:38 PM, Jul 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-01 15:38:28-04

The search for a group of people thought to be headed out to sea in a raft from the Montecito area was suspended Wednesday after no victims were located and no known missing persons had been reported.

The Montecito Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Carpenteria-Summerland Fire and Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol responded to a report of a possible ocean rescue after 7 p.m. Tuesday.

According to the Montecito Fire Department, three to four people on a raft beyond the buoy line appeared to be heading out to sea before the reporting party lost sight of the group. They were thought to be juveniles and did not look to be wearing life jackets.

A land-based search was conducted from the Hammonds Beach area to Lookout Park and a resource was placed at the QAD Inc. building to provide a better visual of the area being searched.

A water rescue team launched at the Rosewood-Miramar beach access point to search the coastline from Miramar Beach to Carpinteria State Beach in partnership with the Harbor Patrol.

Two ocean vessels were used in the search. One continued throughout the night. A helicopter was also used to continue the search at first light Wednesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard took over the search Tuesday night after 8:45 p.m. The search has since been suspended.