Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter file photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin R. Williams
Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report of a 77-foot fishing vessel with three mariners aboard taking on water. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65E Dolphin helicopter aircrew and a Coast Guard Station Sabine Response Boat-Medium boat crew to the scene.
Once on scene, the Air Station Houston helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer and a dewatering pump to the vessel. The source of the flooding was secured and the vessel was dewatered.
“This was the first operational assist with the Coast Guard’s MH-65 Dolphin Echo series upgrade, which proved to be an essential fleet upgrade,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey Owens, Air Station Houston operations officer. “The improved radar precision and detailed fuel management updates allowed us to quickly acquire and get overhead of the vessel, greatly increasing mission effectiveness.”
The vessel is anchored with the Coast Guard Cutter Sea Horse on scene assisting and evaluating the source of the vessel’s power outage.
No injuries were reported.
For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For recent photographs follow us on Flickr.
