GALVESTON, Texas – The U.S. Coast Guard said they rescued a man who had fallen overboard off a tanker ship 10 miles off of Galveston Sunday.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a distress call at approximately 9:23 a.m. Sunday from personnel aboard the tanker vessel Ghibli, stating that a crew member had fallen overboard and was not wearing a life jacket.
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“Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, diverted an already airborne MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston and directed the launch of a 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Galveston,” the Coast Guard said.
The helicopter crew located the man and deployed a rescue swimmer to pull him from the water. He was transported to the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston to receive further care. The man was reportedly in stable condition.
“Wearing a life jacket is absolutely crucial,” said Travis Addison, Operations Unit Controller at Sector Houston-Galveston. “It was fortunate that our helicopter crew was flying nearby. If not, this case might have ended differently.”