PORT O’CONNER, Texas — Four people stranded on a reef off the coast of Port O’Conner were assisted by a Coast Guard response boat crew, Saturday.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Port O’Conner received a call on VHF-FM channel 16 from the captain of a fishing vessel at approximately 3:30 p.m., reporting that a 19-foot pleasure craft in Espiritu Santo Bay had capsized and that four people were stranded on a reef.
Station Port O’Conner launched a 24-foot Special Purpose Craft — Shallow Water response boat and crew to the vessel’s reported location to assist the four people stranded on the reef.
“When we arrived on scene, two of the four stranded persons had been assisted by a good Samaritan and were en route to Seadrift, Texas to retrieve another boat,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Torres, coxswain of the 24-foot response boat. “We assisted the two remaining individuals still on the reef and transferred them to Seadrift.”
Details for commercial salvage are currently being worked out to recover the pleasure craft from its current location.
The Coast Guard has issued a Safety Marine Information Broadcast alerting vessel traffic to the position of the capsized vessel.
The Coast Guard is grateful to those in the maritime community that keep a sharp look out while underway and help fellow mariners by responding to those in distress. Doing so may make a critical difference during maritime emergencies and help save lives.
