CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued four people from a vessel taking on water 30 miles off Baffin Bay, Texas, Saturday.
Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a call via VHF-FM channel 16 at 12:35 p.m. from the operator of a 28-foot pleasure craft stating the boat was taking on water with two adults and two children aboard. The vessel's pumps were not able to keep up with the flooding.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, diverted a Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew, and the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr. Watchstanders also directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew.
Once on scene, the helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer, who used a pump dropped by the Ocean Sentry aircrew to dewater the vessel. The RB–M crew then escorted the boaters safely to Packery Channel Park.
No injuries were reported.
"In today's rescue, the combined efforts of our Coast Guard assets, from the command center orchestrating the response to the boatcrew and two aircrews executing a flawless rescue, showcased the power of teamwork," said Lt. j.g. Bradly Ragan, operations unit coordinator at Sector Corpus Christi. "This synchronization of efforts ensured the rescue of two adults and two children from a vessel taking on water, a testament to our unwavering commitment to saving lives at sea."
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