CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Coast Guard rescued two men suffering from injuries sustained after their vessel ran aground, Wednesday.
Dispatchers at the Calhoun Sheriff’s Department received a call at 10:35 a.m. from a boater who reported his vessel aground near Matagorda Bay. The police transferred the call to watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor, and a 24-foot Special Purpose Craft – Shallow Water was dispatched to the scene. At approximately 11:15 a.m., the Coast Guard also dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and crew from Air Station Corpus Christi. Texas Gulf and Land Offices assisted the Coast Guard with an airboat due to the shallow area surrounding the grounded vessel.
The Dolphin helicopter crew arrived first on-scene and lowered the rescue swimmer to the boat. The helicopter crew hoisted both men and took them to awaiting EMS at Victoria Regional Airport.
The injured men were taken to Victoria Citizens Memorial Hospital by EMS.
“This is a good reminder to file a float plan. In this case, family members knew where the two men normally go and we were able to find them quickly, said Lt Derek Mitchell, an Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin pilot. “We, of course, were happy to be able to reach them quickly and get them medical attention in a timely manner.”
