PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast guard rescues 17 from vessel taking on water near South Padre Island, Texas

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas Office: (281) 464-4810 After Hours: (832) 293-1293 PA Detachment Texas online newsroom

Coast guard rescues 17 from vessel taking on water near South Padre Island, Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued 17 people aboard a charter boat taking on water near South Padre Island, Texas, Friday afternoon.

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.

A Station South Padre Island 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Manta, and a Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew were launched to assist.

All passengers were transferred onto the Manta and taken to Sea Ranch Marina. After Coast Guard engineers installed a pump to help with flooding and determined the Thunderbird would be safe to operate, the captain returned to the vessel and sailed it to Sea Ranch Marina.

All 17 people were wearing lifejackets, and there are no reported injuries. 

“The captain of the Thunderbird’s quick distress call to the Coast Guard and the passengers proactively donning lifejackets was very instrumental to the safety of all people onboard," said Lt. j.g Brandon Reed, command duty officer at Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. "His preparedness definitely made a difference today."  

-USCG-