Shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday, authorities say a woman in her 30s, a tourist from Taiwan who does not speak English, was taking pictures on the pier. As she continued to back up, she fell off the pier and into the water.
She was in the water for a short period of time before three people jumped into the water. One of the Good Samaritans is a San Francisco resident who is a former lifeguard from South Carolina who has done a number of water rescues in the ocean on the east coast.
That man was able to grab the woman and brace himself under the pier on the pylons. A net was thrown down and the woman was rescued.
"The girl fell in the water, they called for help, nobody could swim," said the rescuer's brother, Jacob Shiansky. "He was the second one in the water to keep her head up above the water. He had a broken heel, it's broken in 10 places. He's been recovering. I'm really proud of him. I told him he needed to get in there, he has medical experience. And he saved the girl, he's amazing."
The Coast Guard arrived shortly thereafter, as did the San Francisco Fire Department on their watercraft. They helped perform CPR, reviving the woman. She was transported to the hospital and is said to be breathing on her own at this point.
One of the Good Samaritans was also transported to the hospital being checked out as a precaution. The other two are just trying to warm up. All three are expected to be fine.
