LOS ANGELES, CA – Rescue crews have scaled back efforts to locate two fishermen missing off the Palos Verdes Estates coastline after their boat was found overturned on a rocky Southern California shoreline, officials said Tuesday.
The two men, described as being in their 50s, launched their vessel from Cabrillo Beach on Monday and were expected to return by midnight, according to authorities. When they failed to return, their families alerted authorities, prompting an extensive search operation by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and other emergency responders.
Search teams deployed drones, rescue boats, and helicopters to comb the area. However, poor weather conditions, including high tides, dense fog, and a thick marine layer, complicated the operation.
The damaged vessel was discovered by two beachgoers, Finley Murphy and Olivia Mozian, while they were collecting shells along the Paseo Del Mar shoreline in Palos Verdes Estates.
“The [boat] was completely overturned,” Murphy said. “There were holes in the hull and stuff scattered across the beach — a couple of life jackets, a propeller, coolers, and kids’ life vests.”
Authorities confirmed that debris was strewn across the area, adding to the urgency of the search. Jake Miller, a Los Angeles County Fire Ocean Lifeguard Specialist, described the challenging conditions faced by search crews.
“We pretty much saturated everything from the cliff all the way out into the ocean as best we could, with nothing found,” Miller said.
Officials announced late Monday that active search efforts would be scaled back due to worsening weather conditions but confirmed that aerial surveillance of the area would continue for several days.
Residents and beachgoers expressed sadness over the situation.
“Definitely a bummer with the holidays and awful for their families and this circumstance,” Murphy said.
Authorities have not released the identities of the missing fishermen, and it remains unclear what caused the vessel to overturn.
Emergency responders are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the Los Angeles County Fire Department or local law enforcement agencies.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities continue to monitor weather conditions as they evaluate search options.
