Abandoned Sailboat Cleared from the Montecito Coast Before Dawn Before it Breaks Up

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) - A sailboat that drifted onto the Montecito shoreline last week has been crushed and removed.

It was in an area where the higher tides and crashing waves could have broken it up and sent pieces into the water and down the coast along Butterfly Beach.

The sailboat was believed to be in the nearshore anchorage before drifting away.

A county policy gives the owner a chance to salvage the vessel, if not, it is tagged for removal.

That happened last week when the Santa Barbara County Sherif's Department posted a flyer on the boat indicating it was going to get removed.

Marborg Industries was called out early this morning at low tide.

A crew with heavy equipment broke the vessel up and put it into a large rolloff dumpster.

The cost was covered by the non profit group Heal the Ocean.

The county is investigating what recourse it has legally or if they owner has any insurance.