U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty David Schuhlein.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew rescue two stranded boaters near Port O’Connor, Texas, Thursday.
Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders received a report from Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor personnel at 6:18 p.m. of two boaters whose 21-foot pleasure craft was disabled in the vicinity of the Port O’Connor jetties. The two adults were reportedly experiencing symptoms of hypothermia.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Station Port O’Connor 29-foot Response Boat-Small (RB-S) crew and an MH-65 Dolphin Short-Range Recovery Helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi.
The RB-S crew arrived on scene alongside a Sea Tow boat crew, but was unable to reach the disabled vessel due to shallow water and inclement weather. Conditions at the time of the rescue included winds at about 28-40 mph with gusts up to 50, 9-foot seas, an air temperature of 31 degrees and a water temperature of 51 degrees.
The two individuals were experiencing symptoms of hypothermia. U.S. Coast Guard video.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi.
Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
U.S. Coast Guard Heartland.
Department of Homeland Security.
The Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin SRR helicopter aircrew arrived, deployed the rescue swimmer, hoisted the boaters and transported them to DeTar Hospital Navarro in Victoria, Tx.
The boaters were reportedly in stable condition.
«We strongly recommend that all boaters stay off the water during this cold snap,» said Chief Petty Officer Richard Godsey, command duty officer, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi. «You can quickly become hypothermic through exposure to cold air and wind, especially if your clothing is damp.»
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