A tanker needs miles to change course. The smaller vessel must stay clear.
Off the Southern California coast near Redondo Beach, five fishermen were struck by a commercial tanker in heavy fog on a Saturday evening, transforming a routine lobster-netting outing into a desperate fight for survival. A single flare fired into the darkness set off an hour-long search through near-zero visibility, ultimately locating the stricken vessel miles offshore. The collision appears to have occurred because the small boat had drifted into a clearly charted 22-mile shipping corridor — a reminder that the sea does not forgive the gap between what we know and what we heed. Two remain in critical condition, and the investigation continues as a quiet call for greater vigilance among those who share these waters.
- A fishing boat struck by a tanker in heavy fog began taking on water miles off the California coast, leaving five people injured and adrift in the dark.
- Rescuers from multiple agencies raced against the fog itself — a flare gave them a starting point, but the vessel turned out to be far farther away than the light suggested.
- After an hour of searching through near-zero visibility, responders located the disabled boat two to three miles off Point Vicente Lighthouse, finding two passengers in critical condition.
- Investigators determined the fishing boat had drifted into a busy 22-mile shipping lane corridor that is plainly marked on maritime charts — a corridor where tankers require miles just to change course.
- Authorities are now using the incident as a public warning: check the weather, know the shipping lanes, and understand that a small boat's maneuverability is its only real defense against vessels that cannot stop or turn in time.
A Saturday night lobster-netting trip off Redondo Beach turned catastrophic when a small fishing boat was struck by a commercial tanker moving through heavy fog. The impact left the vessel taking on water and the crew unable to anchor. Someone fired a flare into the darkness — a desperate signal that launched a multi-agency rescue involving Redondo Beach Fire, Los Angeles County lifeguards, and the Coast Guard.
The fog that likely contributed to the collision became the rescuers' next obstacle. Division Chief Jason May noted that the flare suggested the boat was far closer than it actually was, and it took a full hour of searching before responders located the vessel two to three miles off the Point Vicente Lighthouse. All five people aboard were injured; two were in critical condition and required hospitalization.
Investigators pieced together what had gone wrong: the fishing boat had drifted into a 22-mile shipping lane corridor clearly designated on maritime charts for large ocean-going vessels. May was direct in his assessment — those lanes are not hidden, and the responsibility to avoid them falls on smaller, more maneuverable boats. Tankers, he explained, need several miles just to alter course, making evasion essentially impossible once a smaller vessel is in their path.
Authorities are treating the incident as both an investigation and a lesson. Boaters are urged to check weather conditions before departure and to understand exactly where the shipping lanes run. The fog was a factor that night, but it did not change the underlying obligation to know where you are — and where you must not go.
Saturday evening turned into a fight for survival when five people aboard a small fishing boat found themselves in the path of a massive tanker moving through heavy fog off the Southern California coast. The crew had been out for what should have been a routine night of hoop netting for lobsters when their vessel was struck. The impact was severe enough that the boat began taking on water, and the crew realized they had no way to anchor themselves in place. Someone deployed a flare into the darkness, a signal that would trigger one of the most challenging rescue operations Redondo Beach authorities had faced in months.
The call came in on a Saturday evening, and responders mobilized quickly. Redondo Beach Fire, Los Angeles County lifeguards, the Coast Guard, and additional resources all converged on the scene. But the fog that had likely contributed to the collision now became the rescuers' adversary. The flare that the fishing crew had fired gave initial coordinates, but as Division Chief Jason May of the Redondo Beach Fire Department explained, the light indicated the vessel was actually much farther away than first thought. It would take an hour of searching through the murk before rescuers finally located the disabled boat, positioned two to three miles off the Point Vicente Lighthouse.
When they reached the vessel, they found five people aboard, all injured. Two of them were in critical condition. The other three had sustained minor injuries. All five were transported to the hospital for treatment. The boat itself was in dire straits—taking on water and unable to deploy an anchor that might have kept it stable while waiting for help.
Investigators quickly determined what had likely happened. The fishing boat had drifted off course and crossed into a 22-mile corridor of busy shipping lanes, clearly marked on maritime charts and designated for large ocean-going vessels. The boat had been struck by a tanker, one of those massive commercial ships that move through these waters regularly. The question became: how had a fishing crew ended up in such a dangerous place?
May pointed out that the shipping lanes are not hidden or ambiguous. They are plainly marked on the charts that any responsible boat operator should consult before heading out. The fog that night was heavy, certainly, but it did not erase the responsibility of smaller vessels to know where they are and where they should not be. Whether the crew was unaware they had drifted into the transit lanes or simply did not realize the danger, the result was the same.
What made the situation even more precarious was the physics of large tankers. These vessels, May explained, require several miles of distance to change course, even when their operators are aware of a smaller boat directly in front of them. The responsibility, therefore, falls on the smaller vessels to stay alert, to know the approved fishing areas, and to avoid the transit corridors altogether. A fishing boat has the speed and maneuverability to stay clear; a tanker does not.
The Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol, while committed to rescuing vessels in distress, is now using this incident as a teaching moment. Before anyone takes a boat out onto the water, they need to check the weather conditions and understand where the shipping lanes are. The fog that night was a factor, but it was not an excuse. The incident remains under investigation, and authorities are examining exactly what led to the collision and what might prevent similar accidents in the future.
Notable Quotes
The vessel was involved in a significant accident. The vessel was taking on water. They were unable to deploy their anchor.— Division Chief Jason May, Redondo Beach Fire Department
It's on these smaller vessels to be aware of their surroundings, know that they're fishing in an approved area, to stay out of areas which they are excluded from like the transit lanes.— Division Chief Jason May, Redondo Beach Fire Department
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a fishing boat end up in a shipping lane in the first place? Isn't that something you'd know before you left the dock?
You'd think so. The lanes are marked on charts. But fog changes everything—visibility drops to almost nothing, and if your navigation isn't precise, you drift. Two or three miles off course and suddenly you're in a corridor built for 600-foot tankers.
And the tanker crew couldn't just swerve?
That's the thing. A tanker that size needs miles to change course. By the time they see a small fishing boat, it's often too late. The responsibility has to be on the smaller vessel to stay out of the way.
So this was preventable?
Almost certainly. The crew should have known where the shipping lanes were. They should have checked the weather. The fog made it harder, but it didn't make it impossible to navigate safely.
What happens now?
The investigation continues, but the real message is for other boaters: know your charts, know the conditions, and know where you're not supposed to be. Five people got hurt because someone didn't.