(Update) Boat Stranded at Strands Point

Boat on Stands Point after May 29 Accident
Photo by David McErlean

On the evening of Sunday, May 29, a boat with four people on board was moving to close to shore when it was over taken by waves and brought into Strands Point in Dana Point, leaving the boat stranded on the beach and one man dead.

An OC Lifeguard responded from Salt Creek Beach, the adjacent beach to the north, after seeing the boat come ashore. Because of the high tide and storm conditions, the lifeguard had to respond from Pacific Coast Highway through a beach access road inside a newly developed private community. Three more lifeguard unites responded to the scene after hearing the radio call of the first responder, Jason Young, a spokesman for OC Lifeguards said.

A man and two woman exited the boat without harm but one man, Mark Benet, 46, was missing. A man suspected to be Benet was seen in the water behind the boat by witnesses overlooking the scene but it is not known whether he jumped or fell out of the boat as it came ashore, Young said.

The first responding lifeguard from OC Lifeguards entered the water to search for Benet but returned to shore after receiving injuries from the strong surf pushing him into the rock cliffs. The injuries were minor and treated after the search was completed.

The weather conditions were hazardous with gal force winds reaching 30 knots and consistent surf of three to five feet. The stormy conditions brought waves every three to five seconds and a strong current that pushed south into the cliffs of Killer Dana.

OC Lifeguards continued the search with the help of Orange County Fire, Laguna Beach Lifeguards and State Lifeguards. It was decided that searching from a high advantage point on shore was more effective than in the water because of the dangerous water conditions so lifeguards were called out of the water until the man was located. Coast Guard was there on stand by but were not used in the search, Young said.

An hour into the search Benet was found floating off Killer Dana by a rescue team formed by two Laguna Beach Lifeguards and three OC Lifeguards. The victim was pulled into a cave on shore by the lifeguards where he was then hoisted into an Orange County Fire helicopter and air lifted to the hospital.

Benet was pronounced dead at 8:23 p.m. on Sunday, May 29 at Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach.

The boat was on Stands Beach for two days until Vessel Assist was able to remove it off the beach Wednesday, June 1. The 30 foot Bayliner was towed to Dana Point Harbor for further investigation of the accident.