Crew of Tugboat Saves Woman From Waters of Bay

The quick action of a tugboat crew saved the life of a woman found in the water off the B Street Pier early Thursday.

Phuy B. Huynh, 25, was listed in good condition at UC San Diego Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. Authorities have released no information on why she was in the water.

Michael Daily, skipper of the Pacific Queen, spotted the woman in the lights of the tug as it was docking at 2 a.m.

“If I had picked a spot 10 feet over on the pier, I would have run over her,” Daily said.

Crewman Andy Tait shinnied down a chain to the boat’s bumper and jumped into the water to reach the woman. Tait said he at first thought the woman was a manikin or a child because she was so small and light. Then he felt her pulse.

“She definitely was not breathing,” said Tait, 34. He gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until he detected shallow breathing. He pulled her up out of the water with the help of engineer Keith Erickson and deckhand Todd Herrick, and they wrapped her in towels and blankets.

Paramedics arrived shortly afterward and took Huynh to the hospital.