Former supermodel Kathy Ireland’s husband narrowly escaped disaster after an apparent engine explosion engulfed his fishing boat in flames, forcing him to abandon the vessel in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.
Greg Olsen, a retired emergency room physician and longtime commercial fisherman, was alone aboard his boat, the 4th Watch, when the frightening ordeal unfolded Tuesday, November 10.
The vessel was approximately three miles off El Capitan State Beach, near Santa Barbara, when it caught fire around 3:30 p.m., sending smoke billowing into the sky.
According to reports, Olsen’s boat had experienced mechanical trouble before the fire broke out. An apparent engine explosion then left him facing a dangerous situation miles from shore.
With flames spreading across the vessel, Olsen had little choice but to abandon ship.
He escaped using a kayak and ended up in the Pacific Ocean, where a passing boater spotted him and rushed to his rescue.
The Good Samaritan brought Olsen aboard before transferring him to a Santa Barbara City Harbor Patrol vessel. Emergency crews from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies responded to the blaze.
Remarkably, Olsen escaped without injuries.
The 4th Watch, however, was lost in the fire.
Ireland, 63, later shared dramatic footage of the burning boat on Instagram, revealing the emotional toll of losing a vessel that had become such an important part of her family’s life.
“This vessel brought so much joy and so many blessings to our family and countless others,” she wrote.
“Though the vessel is no more, the 4th Watch is forever.”
The loss was particularly devastating because the boat represented far more than a recreational hobby for the couple.
Olsen spent approximately 40 years working as an emergency room doctor while simultaneously pursuing his passion for commercial fishing. He eventually retired from medicine to devote more time to his fishing operation, 4th Watch Seafood, based in Santa Barbara.
Ireland, who became a household name through her appearances in Sports Illustrated‘s swimsuit editions before building a successful business empire, had recently joined her husband in the fishing industry.
In July 2025, she proudly announced that she had obtained her California open-ocean commercial fishing license and would serve as a crew member aboard the 4th Watch.
The former supermodel even joked that earning the license was more exciting than getting her driver’s license.
Ireland previously explained that working alongside Olsen had given her an entirely new appreciation for his dedication to fishing. She described the demanding routine of preparing bait, hauling lobster traps and maintaining the vessel after long days at sea.
The couple, who married in 1988 and celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary in August 2026, have three adult children together.
Although the destruction of their cherished boat marks a heartbreaking loss, the outcome could have been far worse.
Olsen survived the terrifying ordeal unharmed, thanks in part to the passing boater who came to his aid.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the precise cause of the fire, and the circumstances surrounding the reported engine explosion remain unclear.
For Ireland and her family, the 4th Watch may be gone, but the memories made aboard it will live on.