Coast Guard saves vessel from sinking near South Padre Island
South Padre Island, Texas — The Coast Guard assisted a fishing vessel that was disabled and taking on water 30 miles northeast of South Padre Island, Friday.
Coast Guard watchstanders were notified at approximately 1 p.m. on Friday that the 80-foot shrimp boat Martin Tower was taking on water. Within 10 minutes, Station South Padre Island diverted a 33-Foot Special Purpose Craft and crew from their patrol, and launched a 41-foot utility boat and crew. Air Station Corpus Christi launched an HU-25 Guardian jet and crew.
The 33-foot boat arrived on scene before and embarked a three-person assist team to assess the damage. The vessel’s dewatering pump was submerged in water, and the Coast Guard recommended shutting down their generator, which was partially submerged.
The Guardian crew arrived on scene and used the Aerial Delivery System to conduct two separate drops and provide two dewatering pumps to the disabled vessel.
The boatcrew from South Padre Island was able to reduce the water level with the pumps delivered by the Guardian. The fishing vessel’s crew was then able to control the water level, and the vessel was towed to port.
“We were close by and able to quickly respond,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joachim Boyles, member of the assist team. “It is important that all required safety gear on a vessel is functional, and crewmembers understand how to use it.”
The boat was towed back to the port of Brownsville by its sister ship FP Tower.
The United States Coast Guard is the lead agency for coordinating national maritime search and rescue policy and is responsible for providing search and rescue services on, under and over assigned international waters and waters subject to United States jurisdiction.
Article source: http://www.d8.uscgnews.com/go/doc/425/1425191/
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