Coast Guard seaching for six people in Gulf of Mexico

HOUSTON – The Coast Guard is searching for six people who went missing early this morning 11 miles south of Matagorda, Texas.

A watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a phone call at 8:15 a.m. from the emergency contact for the 38-foot sailboat Cynthia Woods. The contact reported they lost communictaion with the sailboat at approximately midnight, and the sailboat also missed its 8 a.m. radio check.

Station Freeport dispatched a rescue boat crew to assist, but returned due to heavy weather conditions. Air Station Corpus Christi launched a Falcon jet crew, and the cutter Manowar was also been dispatched to assist in the search.

A sailboat matching the description reported by the emergency contact has been located by the Falcon jet crew with no persons onboard. Air Station Corpus Christi then launched an HH-65C dolphin helicopter crew to search for the six missing people.

The sailboat Cynthia Woods is a participant in the Veracruz Regatta and scheduled to sail from Galveston, Texas to Veracruz, Mexico.