Full Notification

Public Information Release
April 17, 2014
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer


On April 16, 2014 at approximately 12:45 am, Marine Patrol Deputies were called out for an overdue / missing boater on Clearlake. The boater was reported missing by a family member, who said the missing person, had left Lakeside County Park at approximately 4:00 pm on April 15th. It was reported that he was onboard a 16ft Hobie Cat type sailboat. When the subject did not return, his family became concerned and reported him missing to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Marine Patrol initiated a search of the area after speaking with a family member at the park. The search started at the county park and they worked west towards Lakeport. A helicopter request was placed with both the California Highway Patrol and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, however neither was available. Additionally a request was made with Reach Air Medical Services to determine if their helicopter had Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) capability. They advised it did not, however they did have night vision available and assisted with the search working east from the county park.

At approximately 3:30 am, marine patrol detected an intermittent radar return approximately two miles off shore from Lakeport. A request with the Reach helicopter to check the area of the radar return was made and they confirmed an object in the water. Reach directed Marine Patrol Deputies to the location, where they found the missing person on his overturned Hobie Cat. The missing person, said his boat overturned at approximately 4:30 pm the previous day, from a heavy gust of wind. He said the boat was relatively new to him and he was unable to right the boat.

The subject, who had spent approximately 11 hours on his overturned boat, was evaluated for injury and hypothermia. He was transported by marine patrol back to Lakeside County Park and reunited with his family.