ANACAPA ISLAND : Coast Guard Rescues Boatload of Students

A boat loaded with schoolchildren narrowly escaped crashing on the rocks of Anacapa Island on Tuesday after it lost partial power while trying to dock, U. S. Coast Guard officials said.

The 70-foot boat, which was carrying 42 children ages 7 to 10 from Valley School in Van Nuys, bumped into the cliffs several times before a nearby Coast Guard utility boat was able to reach it and tow it into open water.

“It could have turned into a real serious case,” said Petty Officer Thane Gallagher, who was the engineer on the Coast Guard vessel. “The surge kept pushing him into the cliff there, and he wasn’t able to maneuver.”

Glen Galbraith, captain and owner of the Vanguard, said the incident occurred when a clogged fuel filter caused one of two engines to fail, limiting his ability to guide the vessel through the six- to eight-foot swells.

Galbraith called the incident minor and said the children were never in danger.

“It was really a one-in-a-million situation,” Galbraith said. “The kids ended up having a great time. We saw some whales and some dolphins. We just weren’t able to dock on the island.”