""Crazy situation yesterday," Virostko wrote on Instagram. "I saw the boat coming as I was outside dodging a big middle peak set. He zoomed by me and I saw he had his family on the boat. As I watched him drive straight into a big white wash I knew they went down and it was time to paddle in as quickly as possible to help save the family.""
""I put the dad on my board, and [Mike] took the mom," Virostko recalled. "We had sets on the head and the board was about 20ft outside of us with waves coming. Very sketchy.""
""Due to the rapid deployment of Santa Cruz Fire Marine Rescue Swimmers, City Lifeguards, State Parks, and several Good Samaritan citizens on surfboards, all 6 victims were successfully rescued from this potentially tragic incident," the department said."
Late morning on Feb. 7 a boat capsized in heavy surf off West Cliff Drive, tossing a family of six, including four children, into the water. Several surfers, including big-wave rider Darryl "Flea" Virostko and Mike Dilloughery, paddled out to assist and helped keep the parents afloat; the family members were not wearing life vests. Surf conditions produced debris and large sets, creating a hazardous "yard sale" in the water and complicating rescues. Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 received reports at 11:45 a.m., and Fire Marine Rescue Swimmers, City Lifeguards, State Parks, and Good Samaritans brought all six victims into Santa Cruz Harbor.
Read at SFGATE
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