2 hurt when waves swamp Navy boat off San Clemente Island

The special warfare vessel rescued off of San Clemente Island is similar to a U.S. Navy MARK V Special Operations Craft

SAN DIEGO —  A small Navy vessel had to be rescued off of San Clemente Island early Thursday morning after large waves swamped the boat and injured two crew members, the Navy said.

The Coast Guard alerted the Navy after receiving the distress signal around 4 a.m., Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman said. Two Navy warships deployed to rescue the crew, One, a destroyer, reached the disabled special warfare vessel at around 7 a.m. and took the crew on board.

The two injured sailors suffered cuts to the face from broken glass, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Schwegman, who did not know the exact nature of their injuries, said they were treated on the destroyer and did not need to be airlifted to a hospital.

The special warfare vessel was conducting a training exercise ten miles east of San Clemente Island during the incident, the Coast  Guard said.