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Posted: Wednesday, June 30th, 2004 9:51 AM HST

Coast Guard to honor California man with lifesaving medal

By Associated Press

(Honolulu-AP) -- The Coast Guard is presenting its highest lifesaving award to a California man who helped save his fellow passengers from a boat capsizing off Lanai earlier this year. Rear Admiral Charles D. Wurster is to present Scot Smithee with the Gold Lifesaving Medal the Gilroy Police Station in California, where Smithee is a police captain. Smithee and his wife, Brenda, were on a snorkeling cruise on March 8th when high winds caused the 47-foot catamaran to capsize with eight other people, including two crew members, aboard. Smithee was thrown overboard, while seven people, including his wife, were trapped under the overturned boat. Using a rope as a guide, Smithee repeatedly dove under the boat to lead all seven to safety, where they could wait atop the capsized Paragon One to be rescued. After three hours adrift, the passengers and crew members were rescued by a fishing boat. The Coast Guard medal is rarely given -- in 130 years it's only been awarded 691 times. (Copyright 2004 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)