HOUSTON — From U.S. Coast Guard - Three men stranded aboard a disabled boat were found and towed back into port after signaling an oil rig, 187 miles southeast of Houston, Sunday.
Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received the initial report, at 8 p.m., Saturday, from the wife of Mark Jones that her husband and two other men had taken their 30-foot boat and hadn't returned at the agreed upon time. While she didn't know exactly where the men had gone, she provided the watchstanders with a general area to search.
Sector Houston-Galveston launched Coast Guard crews aboard an HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Houston and a 45-foot response boat-medium from Station Galveston.
The three men aboard the disabled vessel signaled the crew of a nearby oil rig using flares and a flashlight. The oil rig crew reported this to Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders who used the new information to better focus the rescue crews.
"We didn't have much to go on in the beginning," said Lt. Julio Gonzalez, command duty officer for Sector Houston-Galveston. "Around 11:20 p.m., is when the rig spotted the flare and really narrowed down the search for us."
According to Gonzalez, the initial search area was 3,672 square miles, approximately half the size of the state of New Jersey. After receiving the report of flares from the crew of the oil rig, the search area shrank to approximately four square miles.
No medical attention has been requested.
The Coast Guard urges all boaters to carry flares, flashlights or some form of signaling device whenever they go out on the water. Boaters are also urged to organize a float plan, a detailed itinerary that a boater can leave with friends or family in case of an emergency. For more information on safe boating go to www.uscgboating.org.
Coast Guard helps crew on disabled boat
Related Stories
- More Texas News
- National News
- International News
- Vote on gay Scouts comes at emotional moment
- Ex-DA testifies in own defense in bribery trial
- Fire Marshal's Office: Panel had blast site access
- Texas House Democrat Eiland won't seek re-election
- Legislature OKs measure mitigating libel lawsuits
- Texas budget standoff shows late signs of easing
- Dallas exhibit reunites art JFK saw before death
- Pastor sentenced to 2 years for online soliciting
- Boy Scout leaders to vote on lifting gay ban
- Fort Hood suspect seeks to fire Army attorneys
- Winners of the 79th National Headliner Awards
- Youngest Okla. tornado victims remembered by kin
- $2B in Okla. tornado damage means hard recovery
- Nearly all US states see hefty drop in teen births
- Hillary Clinton accepts humanitarian award in NYC
- Fire Marshal's Office: Panel had blast site access
- 1 child dead, 1 missing in Minn. park landslide
- All tornado victims identified
- 4 Americans killed since 2009 in US drone strikes
- Okla. men get video of deadly tornado overhead
- Heat wave causes power outages, anger in India
- Syria opposition welcomes support for Assad ouster
- Restaurant torched in 4th night of Sweden riots
- Globovision owners hint at toned-down news stance
- Lawyer: Malaysian accused of rape married the girl
- Boxes of cash seized in Mexico corruption probe
- Most of Montreal told to boil drinking water
- Most of Montreal told to boil water
- Puerto Rico legislator targets parents of dropouts
- Little done in Brazil to improve safety after fire
Automotive
Find valuable information about buying your next car, including price quotes and your latest automotive news.
Wedding Central
The greatest Southeast Texas story ever told. Share your wedding and engagement news!
Lost and Found Pets
These are pets that have been lost or found in the KFDM News Channel 6 viewing area.
No Text Zone
Texting While Driving Kills Thousands of People Each Year. Many More are Seriously Injured. You Can Help Make Our Roads a NO TEXT ZONE
Texas Lottery
Texas Lottery
Community Calendar
Check out our Community Calendar!
Baby Talk
Baby Talk with Nicole Murray.
KFDM Channel 6 Top Stories
Business News
Bernanke signals Fed to maintain stimulus efforts
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling Congress that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to end its extraordinary stimulus programs.
Consumer News
BC-US--Dow Record-Three Personal Stories, 1st Ld-Writethru,1173
Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes
AP Photo FX102, FX103
Eds: With BC-US--Dow Record. Adds photos.
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. ...
Entertainment News
"HANGOVER 3"
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- All hangovers come to an end eventually, and so, too, "The Hangover" franchise.
Get This
SWINGERS CLUB LAWSUIT-VEGAS
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- David Cooper wants to bring a little more sin -- to Sin City.
Science/Tech News
IN THE NEWS: TEEN ONLINE FAREWELL SONG ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF VIEWS
LAKELAND, Minn. (AP) -- High school student Zach Sobiech (SOH'-bee-eck) says he wanted to be remembered as "a kid who went down fighting and didn't really lose."
