Good Samaritan Assists in USCG Rescue

A good Samaritan and a Coast Guard boatcrew medevaced three people after a boat capsized in the Galveston Bay Entrance Channel, Saturday.

A good Samaritan contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston at 8:34 a.m., reporting that a 21-foot powerboat had capsized, leaving three people in the water.

"I heard some hollering. I thought they had just caught a big fish or something," said Adolph Postel, the good Samaritan charter fishing captain. "I turned around. The boat had flipped over and they were all in the water." 

The Coast Guard launched crews aboard a 25-foot Response Boat — Small from Station Galveston and an MH-65D Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Houston.

When the response boat arrived on scene, Postel had taken all three of the distressed people aboard his boat. One survivor reported having a broken leg. The response-boat crew brought two of the three people aboard and the two boats brought the three survivors back to Station Galveston where local EMS was standing by.

"It was an adventurous morning," said Postel. "We're just glad everyone's okay."

"Mr. Postel honored an ancient code among sailors, that you do everything in your power to help someone in trouble and at the mercy of the sea," said Lt. Spencer Roach, the command duty officer of Sector Houston-Galveston. "His quick response led to a happy ending and we are grateful that he was in the right place at the right time."