A vessel named Russell reported a man in the water and U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego queried the vessel's position; the distress status was unclear from the transmissions. Separately dispatchers said other divers remained in the water while two people who needed medical assistance were taken en route to South Island. Another broadcast warned of planned cannon fire near the Maritime Museum dock with two rounds expected and traffic told to stand by on Channel 16. The combination of a potential man overboard, diver medical evacuations and an unusual live‑fire warning near a busy dock created a concentrated safety challenge for local authorities and mariners.
“We're just on a small skiff that's drifting out here on the channel, next to channel marker 5, with no person in it. Roger, Captain, request you shift to 2-2-Alpha, over. Roger, 2-2-Alpha.”
