A Police Drone Helped Find a Capsized Kayaker in the Water Beneath the Bay Bridge

A man whose kayak overturned near San Francisco's Ferry Building on Thursday afternoon was pulled out of the bay beneath the Bay Bridge after a police drone and a passerby helped rescuers find him.

Several people called 911 to report the capsized kayak, Patch reported. The San Francisco Police Department sent its Marine Unit and a drone from its Drone as First Responder program, and the San Francisco Fire Department joined the response.

How the rescue unfolded

The drone spotted the overturned kayak and a paddle, according to Patch and Hoodline. Hoodline, citing a New York Post account of an SFPD video, said drone footage showed the kayak at about 2:41 p.m. and a fire department boat followed the drone to the scene. One caller reported that a second kayaker wearing a life jacket had made it to shore while his companion was still in the water.

A witness then reported hearing someone calling for help. Marine Unit officers found the man under the westernmost column of the Bay Bridge, pulled him from the water and handed him off to a fire department boat for medical care. Officials have not released his name or described his condition beyond saying he was transferred safely. The kayak and paddle were later recovered behind Fire Station 35 on the Embarcadero, Hoodline reported.

Why the bay is riskier than it looks

SFPD used the rescue as a warning to paddlers. In a social media post described by Hoodline, the department said conditions on the bay can change fast and that cold water and strong currents can put even experienced paddlers in danger. Its advice: wear a life jacket, carry a phone in a waterproof pouch or dry bag, check the weather, tides and currents before launching, and tell someone your plan.

The bay's water typically runs between about 45 and 60 degrees, cold enough to become deadly in as little as half an hour, according to the Bay Area's Water Trail program as cited by Hoodline. The Coast Guard has said 87% of drowning victims in 2024 whose gear was known were not wearing a life jacket.

The rescue came a day before Fleet Week kicked off on the waterfront, with the SFPD Marine Unit taking part in Friday's Parade of Ships and Coast Guard crews patrolling the bay through the weekend. If you see someone in trouble on the water, call 911 right away and note any landmarks that can help crews find them.