13 rescued from sinking boat off Newport Beach coast

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- An Orange County Sheriff's Harbor Patrol crew rescued 13 passengers from a sinking boat off the coast of Newport Beach over the weekend.

The 30-foot fishing boat owned by a 51-year-old Irvine man began taking on water about a half-mile south of the Newport Harbor entrance shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday, OCSD officials said.

After an OCSD patrol boat successfully evacuated all passengers, the damaged vessel could not be saved by additional rescue boats and sank around 2:45 p.m.

"Although we never like to lose a boat, we are very grateful that we were able to rescue the 13 passengers and nobody was injured," OCSD Sgt. Isaac Felter said. "The deputies did an outstanding job."

Sunday's rescue was the 41st so far this year in Newport Beach.

OCSD Harbor Patrol pulled the sunken boat from the ocean floor on Monday.