Missing boaters and 28' Boat found by Klein System

							                           Missing boaters and 28’ Boat found by
                      Klein System 5000 Multi-Beam Side Scan Sonar


In early October, 2008, a 28’ Bay liner with two boaters went missing near the entrance to the Los
Angeles Harbor. The search area covered 300 square miles south of the entrance to the Port of
Los Angeles. The US Coast Guard searched for two days before calling off the search.

By coincidence L-3 Klein happened to be in the area training the Los Angeles Port Police in the
use of their newly acquired L-3 Klein System 5000 Multi-Beam Side Scan Sonar. When the call
came in the L-3 Klein trainers as well as the LA Port Police immediately went into a mode of “On
the Job Training”. They easily set up an Underwater Search and Recovery Survey through
SonarPro®, the training continued with the L-3 Klein System 5000 Multi-Beam Side Scan
Sonar while seeking to find “objects of interest”. A recreational vessel fitting the profile of the
missing 26-foot Bay liner was identified, upside down on the ocean floor, 5 miles south of the
entrance to the Port of Los Angeles Harbor at a depth of 150 feet. The inter-agency response
team called in the Los Angeles Port Police and LA Sheriff’s Department Dive Teams to raise the
vessel and to recover the two missing boaters.

The Port of Los Angeles and the LA County Sheriffs Department and Port Authority acquired the
L-3 Klein System 5000 for use in Port and Harbor Security. The Port of LA’s acquisition of the L-
3 Klein 5000 Side Scan Sonar saved the Port Police and Sheriffs department over 200 dives,
countless man hours and fuel consumption. They raised an uncharted wreck from the harbor
entrance and were able to put the families at ease knowing that the remains are properly put to
rest.

Within a short period of time the L-3 Klein System 5000 Side Scan Sonar proved to be a
worthwhile asset to the Port of LA and with their training they are now ready for any mission.