Man rescued Saturday off Santa Cruz Island after falling overboard without a lifejacket

CHANNEL ISLANDS, Calif. – A man was recovered from the seas off the shores of Santa Cruz Island Saturday after falling overboard without a lifejacket.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Channel Islands, the man fell overboard while only wearing swim trunks and a 45-foot Coast Guard vessel was diverted from its routine patrol to respond to the missing man.

The Coast Guard vessel, alongside multiple good samaritan boaters in the area, began a search starting from where the man had fallen overboard detailed the U.S. Coast Guard Channel Islands.

The man was located and pulled from the sea by a sailboat participating in the search before being returned by Coast Guard personnel to the yacht detailed the U.S Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Channel Island stated the man declined medical attention after returning to the yacht.

The man owes his life to his ability to tread water and alert boaters who aided in the search, but the federal agency recommends that all ocean-goers wear life jackets at all times while underway explained the U.S. Coast Guard Channel Islands.