NEAR CHANNEL ISLANDS, Calif- A member of the United States Coast Guard was killed early Sunday morning after attempting to stop a panga boat on the Ventura and Santa Barbara County-line.
Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard say they were investigating a panga-type vessel suspected of illegal activities near Santa Cruz Island, spotted by one of the Coast Guard's air units.
Santa Cruz Island is one of the many islands that makes up the Channel Islands, off the coast of Southern Santa Barbara County.
The Coast Guard deployed a small boat to approach the suspected panga boat vessel, which Coast Guard officials noted was operating with no lights on board.
When the Coast Guard ship pulled up close to the panga boat, the panga boat charged at the Coast Guard vessel at a high rate of speed, striking the Coast Guard vessel.
Two Coast Guard members were thrown from the boat into the water, where they were later recovered by a second Coast Guard vessel.
Once the Coast Guard members were pulled from the waters, officials discovered one of the men had sustained a severe head injury.
By the time the second Coast Guard vessel reached Port Hueneme's harbor to administer first aid, the Coast Guard member was pronounced dead at scene.
The other Coast Guard member, thrown off the initial boat, was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.
The panga boat, which had fled the scene after striking the Coast Guard vessel, fled the scene but was later stopped by the Coast Guard and two suspects on board were arrested.
The case remains under investigation.
