HOUSTON — The Coast Guard and good Samaritans assisted in saving a sinking vessel with four passengers approximately 20 miles off the coast of Galveston Island Saturday morning.
Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston watchstanders received a mayday call from the owner of the pleasure craft “No Problem” at approximately 8:24 a.m., stating that they were taking on water and were in imminent danger of sinking. The vessel had four people on board.
An MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew were launched from Coast Guard Air Station Houston at 8:54 a.m., and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Coast Guard Station Galveston was diverted from a routine patrol at approximately 9:57 a.m.
Two good Samaritans nearby arrived on scene 8:35 and were able to pass a dewatering pump to the pleasure craft.
The helicopter rescue crew located the vessel and lowered a rescue swimmer and dewatering pump at approximately 9:04 a.m. The rescue swimmer was able to stop most of the flooding and pump the majority of the water out of the vessel.
The Station Galveston response boat escorted the pleasure craft to the Galveston Yacht Marina.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
