The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three sailors from an offshore oil rig platform near Freeport, Texas, early Sunday morning.
At approximately 3 a.m., the Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received word that three watchstanders from the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office were stranded after their vessel began taking on water and sank. The Coast Guard then dispatched a rescue crew.
“Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, directed the launch of a 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Freeport, and diverted an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew to assist,” the U.S. Coast Guard stated in a press release.
It added: “The Coast Guard aircrew located the survivors and relayed their location to the boat crew.” When the boat crew arrived, the three males were taken aboard and transported to Surfside Marina.
Freeport is located approximately sixty miles south of Houston. There are just over 10,000 inhabitants. The sailors were in good health.
On Saturday, May 20, members of the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and Space Force observed Armed Forces Day.