Three Rescued from Sinking Fishing Vessel off Matagorda, Texas

On Monday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued three fishermen from a disabled shrimp fishing boat which was taking on water near Matagorda, Texas.

Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi received a report of a disabled shrimping vessel that was taking on water about two miles from the Matagorda jetties. A Station Port O'Connor response boat crew went to the scene. 

The shrimp boat's crew contacted the command center using a cell phone and said that they would be abandoning their vessel. The Coast Guard instructed them mariners to light a flare to make sure that the response boat would be able to find them.

Once the responders arrived on scene, they pulled the survivors from the water and then brought them safely to Station Port O'Connor. There were no reported injuries.

The vessel has partially sunk, and it remains in place in Matagorda Bay about 300 yards off shore. The owner of the vessel has made salvage arrangements, and in the meantime, the Coast Guard has put out a safety broadcast to alert mariners in the area.