Coast Guard rescues 3 sea turtles caught in illegal fishing gear near Brownsville, Texas

A Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crew rescues three green sea turtles caught in 200-yards of illegal gill net fishing gear approximately a quarter mile north of the mouth of the Rio Grande River, near Brownsville, Texas, Nov. 24, 2019. Gill net is a form of fishing gear consisting of a wall of netting with mesh sizes designed to allow fish to trap their heads through the netting and is illegal to use in Texas waters. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued three sea turtles caught in 200-yards of illegal fishing gear approximately a quarter mile north of the mouth of the Rio Grande River, near Brownsville, Texas, Sunday.

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island crews spotted the illegal gill net fishing gear with five blacktip sharks and eight sea turtles entangled. Of the wildlife recovered, three green sea turtles were alive and released back to their habitat.

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

"This incident is yet another example of the negative impacts of illegal fishing gear being set in U.S. waters,” said Lt. Kurtis Mees, Station South Padre Island commanding officer.  “Not only does it impact this endangered species, but the entire ecosystem as a whole. Fortunately, we were able to free three live green sea turtles and remove this gill net before it trapped and killed any additional marine life."

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Gill net is a form of fishing gear consisting of a wall of netting with mesh sizes designed to allow fish to trap their heads and is illegal to use in Texas waters. Gill net has been a major source of mortality for all sea turtle species due to their susceptibility to become entangled in the net.

If you witness suspicious activity or illegal fishing in state waters (out to 9 miles offshore), please contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s “Operation Game Thief” at 1-800-792-GAME (4263). For all suspicious activity or illegal fishing occurring in federal waters (out to 200 miles offshore), please contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

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Coast Guard rescues boater after vessel washes ashore near Port Aransas, Texas

A Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew rescues a boater after his vessel was sighted washed ashore near the Port Aransas jetties Jun. 16, 2019. The boater was hoisted from the water and transferred to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. U.S. Coast Guard video.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued a boater after his vessel was sighted washed ashore near the Port Aransas jetties Sunday morning.

Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a call from a Port Aransas Police Department member informing them that a boat with one person aboard had been seen leaving the Port Aransas jetties area and then was sighted washed ashore​ 15 minutes later with no one aboard.​

A Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin aircrew was diverted and upon arrival to the scene, spotted the boater near the jetties.​ The boater was hoisted from the water and transferred to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi.

"While all boaters are required to have a life jacket for each person aboard their vessel, we recommend that they wear these life jackets while underway," said Capt. Edward Gaynor, Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi commanding officer. "Accidents on the water, such as this one, happen fast and with very​ little notice. Today we were lucky to be in such close proximity,​ allowing us to rescue this individual in time."

The weather was reported as 9-foot seas and 25 mph winds.

The boater was reported to be in stable condition.

U.S. Navy photo by Anne Owens (archive).

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Coast Guard medevacs boater near Baffin Bay, Texas

MH-65 Dolphin from USCG Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi, U.S. Navy photo by Anne Owens (archive).

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —​ The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a boat near Baffin Bay, Texas, Sunday morning.

Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received​ notification that after a recreational boat ran aground, its three passengers had sustained injuries and needed to be medevaced off the boat.​

A Sector/Air Station Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter aircrew arrived and medevaced a man from the boat to Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline in Corpus​ Christi, Texas.​

A Texas Parks and Wildlife boat crew transferred a second person to emergency medical services, and a third person was medevaced by a HALO flight emergency medical services aircrew. Both were taken to​ Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline.

The man's condition is unknown.

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Coast Guard medevacs tanker crewmember near Brownsville, Texas

MH-65 Dolphin, ©USCG (archive)

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard medevaced a 58-year-old crewmember from a 575-foot tanker approximately 35 miles south of Brownsville, Texas, Friday evening. 

Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a request for medevac from the captain of the vessel Alpine Link after a crewmember was reportedly suffering from symptoms of cardiac arrest. Watchstanders notified the duty flight surgeon who recommended the medevac.

An Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew arrived on scene, hoisted the crewmember and transported him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville.

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