Coast Guard members from units throughout the Houston area presented future job opportunities to students at the expo.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Corinne Zilnicki.
HOUSTON — The Coast Guard crews rescue 6 sailors after their vessel started taking on water near Freeport, Texas, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023.
Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received notification at 11:59 a.m. via VHF-FM channel 16 from the captain of a 32-foot sailing vessel with six people aboard stating his vessel was taking on water 5 nautical miles south of the Brazos River near Freeport and their three dewatering pumps were not keeping up with the flooding. The six sailors, who were all wearing life jackets, abandoned the sailing vessel and got into a life raft.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Freeport 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin Short-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew to respond.
The Coast Guard boatcrew arrived on scene, took aboard the six people from the life raft and transported them to Station Freeport.
All six individuals were recovered and transported to Station Freeport.
U.S. Coast Guard Station South Freeport photo.
There were no reported injuries. The owner will arrange for salvage of the sailing vessel.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of having reliable, efficient communication equipment on board your vessel, especially a VHF-FM marine radio,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Downes, communication unit controller, Sector Houston-Galveston. “Every second matters during an emergency on the water, and a marine radio can be a direct lifeline for you and everyone on your boat.”
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