Coast Guard Auxiliary crew rescues two teenagers from lake over the Memorial Day weekend

LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. – Two missing teenage boaters were found and pulled from the waters of Lake Isabella Saturday afternoon, May 30th by the crew of a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary patrol boat.

The two teens, a male and a female, had been riding on personal watercraft when they fell off and were unable to get back on. The watercraft drifted away from the teens, who were both wearing lifejackets, leaving them floating in the cold water about a half mile from shore.

A member of the Lake Patrol was aboard the Coast Guard Auxiliary patrol boat when the Lake Patrol office received a call that a friend of the teenagers, who was on another personal watercraft with them at the time of the mishap, had lost track of their location shortly after they fell into the water and had returned to shore for help. The Coast Guard Auxiliary boat began searching for the teenagers, who were rescued shortly after the call came in.

The male teenager was in good condition, while the female teen was suffering from early stages of hypothermia and exhaustion. The water temperature at the time was around 56 degrees Fahrenheit and it was estimated the teens were in the water for approximately 50 minutes.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary was working jointly with the Kern County Parks and Recreation Lake Patrol during the busy Memorial Day weekend. One Auxiliary patrol boat and two Auxiliary patrol personal watercrafts were launched on the lake to supplement the Lake Patrol assets. Additionally, a Coast Guard MH-65C helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles was standing by at the Lake Patrol office in case of the need for further search and rescue assistance. The Coast Guard Auxiliary was also busy providing vessel safety checks at the launch ramps, boater safety education and stressing the importance of wearing a life jacket while boating. The fact the teenagers were wearing life jackets likely added to their ability to survive.

Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel underway at Lake Isabella with crew facing the bow of the vessel

Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel on patrol at Lake Isabella during the Memorial Day weekend (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Steve Lee, USCGAUX)

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