Overview

• Just before 9:30 a.m. on July 19, San Francisco Fire Department, police boat units and the U.S. Coast Guard converged at the Ferry Building pier after reports of an adult in distress.
• A ferry passenger threw a life preserver ring to the individual while rescue swimmers and two Coast Guard vessels deployed to assist.
• The adult was successfully pulled from the water and taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
• The incident follows a May 2023 rescue of a man trapped 16 feet underwater and a May 2025 body recovery near Pier 15, illustrating persistent risks along the Embarcadero.
• Since 2018, the city has recorded between 77 and 105 water distress calls annually, underscoring ongoing safety challenges in the bay.