Station South Padre Island Coast Guard boat crew members transfer 17 people off a charter vessel taking on water near South Padre Island, Texas, Aug. 24, 2018. All passengers were wearing life jackets and transported to Sea Ranch Marina. U.S. Coast Guard photo
By DINA ARÉVALO
Port Isabel-South Padre Press
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
The U.S. Coast Guard responded to a boat in distress, rescuing some 17 people off the shores of South Padre Island last Friday.
The Coast Guard reports that the vessel, a charter boat, issued a distress call and was taking on water. “Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a distress call from the captain of the Thunderbird, a 46-foot fishing charter vessel, and informed them his vessel was taking on water and onboard pumps were not able to keep up,” the Coast Guard said via a statement released late last week.
Crews from Station South Padre Island responded to the emergency dispatching the Cutter Manta, a 45-foot response boat, the Coast Guard said. An aircraft was also launched from Corpus Christi, the HC-144 Ocean Sentry, the statement reads.
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