Nineteen people were rescued off the coast of Long Beach, California Sunday afternoon after the mast of a sailboat broke off due to strong winds, firefighter Brian Fisk told CNN.
The incident was reported around 2:50 p.m. PT (5:50 p.m. ET) and rescuers found 11 people and a 40-foot boat on rocks off the coast, Fisk said.
They were brought to safety by Long Beach firefighters while eight other people were rescued by another boat in the area, Fisk said.
A preliminary investigation determined that the boaters were out sailing when the mast broke off, “presumably due to the inclement weather and winds,” Fisk said.
“They obviously had no control and went on the rocks,” the firefighter added.
One person suffered non-life-threatening injuries, though it was unclear if that person was hospitalized, Fisk said.
The boat was damaged but did not sink, he added, and the incident remains under investigation.
