Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-Foot Response Boat-Medium file photo by Petty Officer Patrick D. Kelley
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued two kayakers who were reported overdue near Corpus Christi, Saturday.
Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a report at 11:15 a.m. from Padre Island National Seashore park rangers stating two adult members of a camping group went kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico near Mile Markers 5-10 and did not return as scheduled.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew to search.
At 1:15 p.m., the RB–M crew located the overdue kayakers about 2.5 miles offshore. The man and woman were wearing life jackets and waving their arms to attract the Coast Guard crew’s attention. They indicated they had drifted farther offshore than intended and were in need of assistance.
The Station Port Aransas crew transported the kayakers to the Packery Channel in Corpus Christi, where a family member arranged to meet them.
“Filing a float plan is one of the easiest steps you can take to prepare for the unexpected,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Ortega, operations unit controller, Sector Corpus Christi command center. “Simply tell someone on shore where you’re going and when you plan to return. We also recommend you send them a picture of your boat or kayak, which they can share with our search crews in case we need to find you.”
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