CORPUS CHRISTI — U.S. Coast Guard personnel assisted two mariners aboard a fishing vessel that was taking on water off South Padre Island on Sunday.
Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a mayday call relayed by the fishing vessel Promised Land at 12:20 a.m., informing them the Salvador R was taking on water with two crewmen aboard approximately 15 miles offshore.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew. Once on scene, the Coast Guard crew boarded the Salvador R and began pumping out the 68-foot vessel.
Station South Padre Island crews worked on pumping until 9:38 a.m., when the fishing vessel Don Nico, sister ship to the Salvador R, arrived on-scene. The Don Nico crew passed over two batteries, enabling the Salvador R to regain power.
Coast Guard boat crewmen remained aboard the Salvador R while it transited to port.
“Aside from showcasing the resiliency of our South Padre Island boat crews, this case also underlines the importance of having a working marine radio on board your vessel,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Cynthia Taylor, Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi operations unit controller.
“The crew of the fishing boat Promised Land heard the mayday call on Channel 16, then reached out directly to us to make sure we knew someone was in distress and in need of our help,” she added. “In this instance, their marine radio truly was a lifeline.”
