Santa Cruz Surfers Hailed for Rescuing Family of Six After Boat Capsizes at Steamer Lane

A family of six, including four children, was pulled from the surf off West Cliff Drive on Feb. 7 after their small fishing boat capsized near Steamer Lane, thanks to a swift rescue by local surfers and the Santa Cruz Fire Department.

The vessel overturned in heavy swells near the Surfing Museum lighthouse, sending the two parents and four children into the water. Among the first to respond were renowned big-wave surfer Darryl “Flea” Virostko and teens Ian Anderson, 14, and another young surfer named Emilio, who helped bring the family to safety.

“Crazy. Unbelievable these small children made it out of this boat wreck,” Virostko told KRON4. “The surfing community is a pretty tight-knit community,” Anderson told KSBW. “When someone’s in trouble, we always come together to help that person.”

Santa Cruz Fire said the first 9-1-1 calls came in at 11:45 a.m. for a “Confirmed Water Rescue” at 701 West Cliff Drive. Fire units and lifeguards entered the ocean on rescue boards to reach the victims. Additional agencies including Santa Cruz Mountains State Parks, Harbor Patrol, Santa Cruz Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, Fish and Wildlife, Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County, American Medical Response and Vessel Assist also responded.

Although several victims were not wearing life jackets, all six were recovered onto Harbor Patrol and auxiliary boats and rushed to the Santa Cruz Harbor, where Central Fire crews and AMR tended to them.

The family was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, KSBW reported. Responders continued to search for a possible seventh victim using State Parks watercraft and Santa Cruz Police drones; no additional victims were found.

Witnesses described the conditions and the moments before the capsize. Swells were 8 to 12 feet, according to KSBW. Stephen, a boater who saw the incident, said the person at the helm should have turned sharply. “And instead he went straight, and the waves literally picked him up, curled him over and threw the boat down,” he told KSBW. The children, ages 3 to 9, were wearing life vests; the parents were not, the harbormaster told the outlet. “This could have been a tragedy of the worst kind,” another witness, Blake, told KSBW. “Fortunately, it wasn’t. Everybody survived.”

Fire Chief Rob Oatey praised the surfers’ rapid response. “It’s not common or everyday that people want to get involved,” he told KSBW. “So it’s huge that we have people in the community who are willing to take that step.”

In a follow-up meeting, Oatey thanked four of the surfers — identified by the department as Darryl, Emilio, Ian and Mike — noting they were among roughly 10 surfers who worked together during the rescue, including two just 14 years old.

“Due to the rapid deployment of Santa Cruz Fire Marine Rescue Swimmers, City Lifeguards, State Parks, and several Good Samaritan citizens on surfboards, all six victims were successfully rescued from this potentially tragic incident,” the department said.

Officials reminded the public to follow all California boating regulations and navigational standards and to reconsider going out on days with extremely heavy surf.