HOUSTON - The Coast Guard suspended its active search, Saturday evening, for one missing boater in vicinity of the Galveston jetties.
Rescue crews from the Coast Guard and local partners searched by air and sea for approximately 50 combined hours since the initial report and covered more than 293 square miles.
Late Thursday evening, Coast Guard watchstanders from Sector Houston-Galveston received notification from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office of a vessel crashed onto the Galveston Jetty with five people on board. Sector Houston-Galveston diverted an airborne Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and launched a boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Galveston to begin searching. After arriving on-scene, the MH-65 aircrew hoisted three injured people and transported them to the University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital.
On Friday, one of the missing boaters was recovered deceased by partner agencies.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragic incident,” said Capt. Nicole Rodriguez, USCG Sector Houston-Galveston, Deputy Commander. “It is one of the hardest decisions to call off an active search. We are grateful to have rescued three survivors and thankful for the assistance of our partners in the Houston-Galveston area.”
Rescue crews involved in the search:
- Coast Guard Air Station Houston
- Coast Guard Station Galveston
- Coast Guard Cutter Alligator
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
- Harris County Sheriff’s Office
- Texas EquuSearch
- Multiple good Samaritan boaters
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