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Press Release | Sept. 13, 2023

VIDEO AVAILABLE: Coast Guard rescues tanker crew member 10 miles offshore Galveston, Texas

Coast Guard PADET Texas - Office: (281) 464-4810 / After Hours: (832) 293-1293

Editor's Note: Click here to download the video.

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard rescued a tanker crew member from the water 10 miles offshore Galveston, Texas, Wednesday. 

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a distress call on VHF-FM channel 16 at 9:23 a.m. from personnel aboard the tanker vessel Ghibli, stating that a crew member had fallen overboard and was not wearing a life jacket.

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 Coast Guard Station Galveston.

The helicopter crew located the man, deployed a rescue swimmer to pull him from the water, and transported him to 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."

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-USCG-

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