National Park Service and paramedics with the San Francisco Fire Department responded to rescue an unconscious surfer from Ocean Beach near Lincoln Way on Thursday. Photo: San Francisco Fire Department
A surfer died Thursday afternoon after lifeguards had rescued him from the waters of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. The incident took place near Lincoln Way at 1:20 p.m., beginning when an off-duty lifeguard surfing nearby noticed another surfer waving his arms for help.
Three on-duty National Park Service lifeguards also noticed the distress signal and swam out to rescue him. The surfer was reportedly floating face down and not breathing when they reached him, so they began lifesaving efforts while working to bring him back to shore. Reports don’t share specific details of how or when the surfer was revived, but the surfer was reportedly in critical condition when San Francisco Fire Department paramedics took him to a local hospital. San Francisco Fire Capt. Jonathan Baxter says the surfer later died at the hospital, however he didn’t give further details or identifying information of the victim.
The San Francisco Fire Department posted a statement with images and a short video to X less than 90 minutes later. At the time, the department only shared that the surfer had been transported to the hospital and was in critical condition with no mention of his passing yet.
“The San Francisco Fire Department commended the quick actions of both the off-duty and on-duty ocean patrol lifeguards, as well as the early 911 callers, emphasizing their essential role in rescuing the surfer,” they said.
On May 28, 2026, at 1:20 PM, the San Francisco Fire Department received a report of a surfer in distress at Ocean Beach near Lincoln. At the same time, an off-duty National Park Service lifeguard who was surfing in the area, along with three on-duty NPS Ocean Rescue lifeguards,… pic.twitter.com/PWsY2CyR4g
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) May 28, 2026
