Five Rescued After Boat Strikes a Barge Near Galveston

Five people were rescued from the water Tuesday after their boat struck a barge near Galveston, Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at 9:41 p.m. on VHF-FM channel 16 from the captain of the Blessey Marine Services towboat Richard Tolar that an 18-foot pleasure craft had collided with a barge and capsized east of the Galveston Causeway. All five boaters were in the water, had sustained injuries and were not wearing life jackets.

Watchstanders directed the launch of a 29-foot Response Boat-Small from Coast Guard Station Galveston and diverted an already-airborne MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston.

While Coast Guard rescue crews were en route, the crew of the nearby Florida Marine Transporters towboat Chip Stiebing pulled all five boaters from the water. The helicopter crew arrived on scene and hoisted two of the boaters, one who had sustained a head injury and one with a broken leg. The crew transported the patients to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Galveston.

The RB-S crew arrived and embarked the remaining three boaters, all of whom had sustained minor injuries. The boat crew brought the three adults to Station Galveston, where emergency services personnel assessed and transported them to UTMB Galveston.

All five boaters were last reported to be in stable condition, the Coast Guard said.

“We commend the crew of the Chip Stiebing for launching into action and helping people in need,” said Cmdr. Michael Cortese, search and rescue mission coordinator, Sector Houston-Galveston. “Their quick response expedited the overall rescue and helped us connect these boaters with higher medical care.”

The cause of the collision is currently under investigation by Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Texas City personnel.