Coast Guard rescues two personal watercraft riders near Corpus Christi

USCG file photo

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Coast Guard crews rescued two men who had fallen from their personal watercraft four miles northeast of Packery Channel near Corpus Christi, Saturday morning.

Watchstanders at Sector Corpus Christi received a call at approximately 8 a.m. from the Corpus Christi Police Department reporting that a man called from his cell phone and reported that he and a friend capsized their personal watercraft and had been in the water for 30 minutes. Both men were reportedly wearing life jackets.

An MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Air Station Corpus Christi and a 45-foot Response Boat Medium from Coast Guard Station Port Aransas were dispatched to the scene at approximately 8:15 a.m. and quickly located the men. The rescue helicopter crew directed the boat from Port Aransas to the men.

Coast Guard crews rescued the 38-and-40-year-old men and towed the watercraft to Packery Pier where EMS and the Corpus Christi Fire Department were staged. Both men were reported to have no injuries.

“The Coast Guard would like to remind mariners of the importance of life jackets,” said Lt. Mary Arvidson, pilot and public affairs officer for Air Station Corpus Christi. “These men were in the water for over an hour in 4-5 foot seas, and the fact that they were wearing life-jackets helped save their lives”.




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