SAN DIEGO -- A charter dive boat had an engine malfunction and began taking on water off Sunset Cliffs Sunday, but the vessel carrying 16 passengers was towed safely back to Mission Bay, a lifeguard lieutenant said.

The stricken 38-foot "Kelp Connection" was heading to the Coronado Islands when it began taking on water and had black smoke coming out of its port side engine around 7:45 a.m., Lerum said.

Lifeguards were able to rescue the passengers and tow the boat back to the bay, then managed to pump out the water, Lerum said.

"It was a happy ending to what could have been a dangerous situation," the lieutenant said.

The rescue was the second of a boat in distress in 12 hours.

A 22-foot boat that lost engine power drifted into the rocks off Sunset Cliffs around 9 p.m. Saturday night, Lerum said.

That vessel, with five people aboard, was towed safely to lifeguard headquarters in Mission Bay, and no one was hurt, Lerum said.