‘They kept screaming.’ One dies as boat sinks near harbor, California officials say

Sleeping on a sailboat off California’s Santa Catalina Island, Jody Mack awoke at about 4 a.m. to screams from a nearby boat.

“They kept screaming the person’s name who perished and then they screamed (for) help,” Mack told the Los Angeles Times. “And that’s when we jumped up and got over to their boat as quick as possible in the dinghy.”

A boat capsized and sank early Saturday, Sept. 3, near Isthmus Pier, KTLA reported.

Three people were rescued from the sinking cabin cruiser, but a 65-year-old woman aboard died, KNBC reported.

Mack said several people in dinghies from other nearby boats assisted with the rescues, the Los Angeles Times reported. Another onlooker dove to look for the missing woman.

One of those rescued was injured, KNBC reported. The woman who died was found inside the sunken boat.

The cause of the sinking remains under investigation.

Santa Catalina Island off Los Angeles has a permanent population of about 4,000 people but is a popular destination for boaters and other visitors.

This story was originally published September 4, 2022 at 3:46 PM with the headline "‘They kept screaming.’ One dies as boat sinks near harbor, California officials say."