2 Lost in Camp Pendleton Waters

Two members of a Navy beachmaster unit were missing Thursday after being thrown from their vehicle into the rushing waters of the Santa Margarita River on the Camp Pendleton base, Navy officials said.

The missing beachmasters, whose duty it is to oversee amphibious landings, were driving Jeep-like vehicles called humvees and attempting to cross the rain-swollen Santa Margarita River about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Seven beachmasters were attempting to cross the river during a routine mission when two were thrown from their vehicle by the force of the current and washed downstream, officials said. The names of the missing men were being withheld by the Navy pending notification of relatives.

“It just kind of caught them by surprise,” said Navy Lt. Commander Jeff Smallwood. “They are very familiar with that area. The river is usually just a trickle. But they were operating at night and couldn’t tell it was so high.”

A search party, consisting of Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Oceanside authorities, combed the area Wednesday night and Thursday. The Coast Guard called off its portion of the search about noon Thursday, said Coast Guard Chief Michael Johnson. The others were continuing the search late Thursday.