HOUSTON – Officials say six people were rescued after their vessel began taking on water in Freeport on Sunday.
According to the Coast Guard, watchstanders received notification at 11:59 a.m. from the captain of a 32-foot sailing vessel with six people aboard. The boat was traveling five miles south of the Brazos River.
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Those onboard say their three dewatering pumps were not keeping up with the flooding.
The six people, who were all wearing life jackets, reportedly abandoned the sailing vessel and got into a life raft.
Crews were deployed to the area and were able to rescue the six individuals and transport them to Station Freeport.
There were no reported injuries.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of having reliable, efficient communication equipment on board your vessel, especially a VHF-FM marine radio,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Downes, communication unit controller, Sector Houston-Galveston. “Every second matters during an emergency on the water, and a marine radio can be a direct lifeline for you and everyone on your boat.”