14 rescued as boat sinks near Newport Harbor

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - Fourteen people were rescued from the ocean off Southern California after their boat sank during a weekend outing, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said.

The 41-foot-long boat Carver began taking on water outside the entrance to Newport Harbor around 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the department said in a Facebook posting that included a video of the dramatic scene in choppy waters.

Another vessel took the boat under tow but it was sinking quickly and was almost submerged when deputies arrived.

All 14 people on the stricken boat jumped into the water and were saved by harbor patrol, lifeguards and good Samaritan vessels.

The cause of the sinking is under investigation.

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