SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – The Coast Guard and the local fire department are searching for a 12-year-old boy off the coast of South Padre Island Friday.
Watchstanders received a call from a good Samaritan at approximately 7 p.m., reporting the sighting of a boy floating 50 to 75 feet offshore.
The Coast Guard dispatched a 33-foot Response Boat-Small, a 24-foot shallow water response boat-small, a HU-25 Falcon and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to search for the boy. Small boat crews from the South Padre Island Fire Department were also dispatched to the scene.
The search is ongoing and is expected to continue throughout the night.
“We would like to remind beach goers to be aware of their situation at all times, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Carl Hammond, a crewman from Station South Padre Island. “It’s important to keep safety in mind, even when swimming close to shore.”
