A U.S. Coast Guard operation successfully rescued a man on Saturday evening after he and his dog went missing from their sailboat near Catalina Island, California. However, despite extensive search efforts, the dog remains unaccounted for.
The pair had been on a 34-foot sailboat, traveling between Catalina Island and the California mainland. Around 8 p.m., an alert was sent to the Coast Guard after the boater and his dog were reported missing. In response, the Coast Guard launched a boat from Los Angeles and diverted a nearby cutter vessel to assist with the search. Air support was also brought in from the Coast Guard station in San Diego.
A Coast Guard helicopter was able to locate the dinghy in which the man was floating, about 1,400 yards from the sailboat and roughly 18 miles east of Catalina Island. The man was found suffering from mild hypothermia but showed no other major medical issues.
Unfortunately, despite the rescue, the dog could not be found during the search and is still missing. The Coast Guard is continuing efforts to locate the animal.