Coast Guard rescues 3 near Galveston, searches for 1

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard is searching for a man who went missing approximately 10 miles south of the Galveston jetties, Thursday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a mayday call at approximately 3 a.m. via the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 system from the crew of the commercial shrimp boat Mario Arturo II, reporting the boat was taking on water. The boat eventually sunk, forcing all four crewmembers into the water. Three of the persons in the water were rescued by an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston, and medevaced to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

"We were initially diverted at approximately 3 a.m. for this search and rescue case. We immediately headed in the direction of the mayday call once we received the coordinates from Sector Houston-Galveston," said Lt. j.g. Michael Gibson, an Air Station Houston helicopter pilot. "This case highlights the benefits of the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 program. Sector heard the initial mayday call and within minutes had a GPS position in the proximity of where the vessel was located," he said.

The Coast Guard has issued an Urgent Marine Broadcast to all mariners currently in the vicinity of the search area. The missing person is described as male, approximately 40-years old, and was last seen wearing yellow rain paints and a t-shirt. Anyone with any information is asked to call Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston at (713) 678-9059.

The search continues for the one missing crewman. The following Coast Guard assets have been utilized in the search and rescue effort:

2, MH-65C Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Houston
Coast Guard Cutter Manowar, homeported in Galveston
45-foot Response Boat - Medium from Station Galveston

The condition of the three men is unknown.

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