A good Samaritan assisted the Coast Guard in saving two men, ages 45 and 24, near Redfish Bay in Port Aransas, Tuesday.
At approximately 1:55 a.m., one of the men’s wife called Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi reporting that her husband had departed on a fishing trip from the Port Aransas area and had not returned that evening as expected.
Air Station Corpus Christi launched an aircrew aboard a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to search for the missing men. A good Samaritan, who was duck hunting in his boat, found the 45-year-old man walking down the beach looking for help and suffering from exposure to the cold.
The 45-year-old man and good Samaritan then vectored in the Coast Guard helicopter to the location of the 24-year-old who was reportedly suffering from hypothermia. He was airlifted to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-Memorial in stable condition.
“Fortunately, the good Samaritan was able to assist one man and vector us to the location of the other,” said Lt. Andrew Dowsey, an Australian Navy exchange pilot currently attached to Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. “It’s always a good idea to put in a float plan with a family member or the Coast Guard to let people know where you are going and when you’re going to be back. Hopefully they’re able to make a full and quick recovery.”
The older man said they were fishing when their 12-foot boat capsized.
In a similar case, two men were saved last week off the Port Aransas Jetties. They were reported overdue by one of the men’s wives as well. Filing a float plan with family or friends to let people know where you are going and when to be expected back can make the difference.
