USCG rescues man overboard in Houston Ship Channel
The US Coast Guard rescued a 62-year-old man who was stranded on Atkinson Island after he fell off his boat near Sylvan Beach, La Porte, Texas, US, and swam to the island on 20 August.
The US Coast Guard rescued a 62-year-old man who was stranded on Atkinson Island after he fell off his boat near Sylvan Beach, La Porte, Texas, US, and swam to the island on 20 August.
At approximately 09:00 hrs, watchstanders at USCG Sector Houston-Galveston received a call from a mariner transiting near Sylvan Beach stating they saw an unmanned boat going in circles. Watchstanders launched an Air Station Houston aircrew onboard an MH-65 helicopter and diverted a Station Houston boatcrew to respond. Then at approximately 10:00 hrs, watchstanders at the Houston-Galveston Vessel Traffic Service received a call from the captain of the motor vessel Eagle Tuscon, stating they saw a man waving his arms on Atkinson Island. About the same time, the helicopter rescue crew saw him and lowered a rescue basket to pick him up. The helicopter crew then transported him to Ellington Field where he was handed over to ground ambulance staff.
“That man was dehydrated and very grateful to see us,” said the helicopter’s pilot Lt Brian Seekatz. “The shrimp vessel Dying Breed saw the man’s fishing boat going in circles. They are the ones that gave us the initial report that got us airborne.”