Waves overpower crewmen trying to salvage beached sailboat in Pacifica

Attempts to salvage a sailboat from a Pacifica beach failed Wednesday when the vessel foundered in the surf and sunk.

The boat had experienced engine problems and drifted ashore Saturday night. The four occupants — a 24-year-old Spokane, Wash., woman, a 33-year-old Crescent City man, a 49-year-old Long Creek, Ore., woman and a 20-year-old woman also from Spokane — were rescued by police and fire personnel. They were hospitalized with minor injuries.

The boat, meanwhile, ran aground in the shallow surf at Linda Mar Beach, where it remained until about noon Wednesday.

A front-end loader helped lift the craft so that it could be towed by a tugboat through the breakers.

Crewmen tried to salvage a sailboat that ran aground after drifting near shore Saturday at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica. Unfortunately efforts to tow it out to sea Wednesday failed. Crewmen tried to salvage a sailboat that ran aground after drifting near shore Saturday at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica. Unfortunately efforts to tow it out to sea Wednesday failed. Photo: Guy Wathan/San Francisco Chronicle Photo: Guy Wathan/San Francisco Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Waves overpower crewmen trying to salvage beached sailboat in Pacifica 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Two salvage crew members struggled valiantly to keep the sailboat upright as it was being towed out to sea, but the waves proved to be too strong. A breaking wave crashed over the boat, knocking off one the crewmen. He grabbed back on as the boat thrashed violently back and forth in the hydraulics.

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But only moments later, the men had to give up and abandon ship when the sailboat rolled over on its side and slowly disappeared beneath the swells.