CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Coast Guard aircrew rescued three people from their sinking boat in Nueces Bay, Sunday.
At approximately 1 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi received a report that a pleasure craft, with two adults and a 10-year-old child, could not start, was taking on water and sinking in Nueces Bay. The boaters were unsure of their exact location and feared for their safety.
Sector Corpus Christi launched an aircrew, aboard an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter, who located the boat soon after arriving on scene floating between two sets of power lines. The aircrew hoisted the three from their boat and brought them safely to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. All three are in good condition.
“We are extremely happy to be able to help these boaters in distress,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class James Mann, the flight mechanic aboard the helicopter. “We were concerned with the reports of the vessel possibly sinking and more so when we learned one of the boaters was a child. We are thankful they had life jackets on and proper signaling devices.”
With the increased boating activity due to the holiday weekend and approaching summer, the Coast Guard urges all mariners to use safe-boating practices. Have a plan and communicate it with relatives or friends before going out on the water, always have the correct sizes and number of life jackets aboard for everyone, and contact the Coast Guard on marine VHF channel 16 if in need of assistance.