HOUSTON — A Coast Guard aircrew hoisted four people from their disabled boat in the Gulf of Mexico, about 65 miles southeast of Freeport, Texas, Tuesday afternoon.
At approximately 8:30 a.m., the Coast Guard's 8th District watchstanders received an emergency position indicating radio beacon, or EPIRB, alert from the 32-foot pleasure craft Special K III. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast to alert other boaters to the search.
Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders conducted call-outs with no response and crews were launched from Air Station Houston on an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and on an Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane to search for the boat.
The helicopter aircrew sighted the Special K III after observing three flares above the boat's location. The rescue swimmer was lowered to the boat and three were hoisted and taken to Scholes International Airport. The swimmer stayed with the remaining person while the helicopter crew refueled and returned for them.
"The flares were a big help because we were flying past their position when we saw the light that alerted us to them," said Lt. James Rader, one of the helicopter pilots for the rescue. "The EPIRB also made it much easier for us to know exactly where to begin searching in the first place."
All persons were safely brought to Scholes with no injuries. The disabled vessel is being towed back to Freeport by the Coast Guard Cutter Manta.