HOUSTON - The Coast Guard, along with the Galveston Beach Patrol and the Galveston Police Department, are currently searching for a missing swimmer off the Galveston jetties, Thursday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 11 a.m. from the Galveston Police Department reporting that a swimmer had gone missing off the Galveston jetties.  The swimmer, described as a black male wearing a white tank top and black shorts, was reported to have entered the water at the Seawall and 10th Street in Galveston. 

The Coast Guard launched an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter and crew from Air Station Houston, and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Station Galveston.  The Galveston Police Department, Galveston Beach Patrol and crews from the Galveston EMS are also on scene assisting with the search effort. The Galveston Police Department is in the process of arranging a dive team to augment the search.

HOUSTON - Coast Guard Air Station Houston medevaced a man from a tank ship approximately 57 miles off the Galveston coast, Tuesday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 5:35 a.m. from a crewmember aboard the Greek flagged tank ship Delta Tolmi, reporting a 34-year old male aboard was experiencing acute abdominal pain.  An Air Station Houston MH-65C Dolphin helicopter and crew was launched to the ship's reported position.  The Dolphin helicopter crew hoisted the man and transported him to Ellington Field to an awaiting EMS crew.

The man was taken to Southeast Regional Hospital in Houston. His condition is unknown.

Click here for video footage of the medevac.

HOUSTON - Coast Guard Station Galveston assisted the crew of the 80-foot fishing vessel Clarisa off the Galveston jetties, Monday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a distress call over VHF Channel 16 at 3:25 a.m. from the crew of the fishing vessel Clarisa, reporting the vessel had hit the southern tip of the Galveston jetties.  A Station Galveston 25-foot Response Boat Small and crew, and an Air Station Houston MH-65C Dolphin helicopter and crew were both launched to scene.

The RB-S crew was the first to arrive on scene and boarded the vessel for assessment.  The crew determined that there was approximately 4-feet of water in the fishing vessel's engine room and it was listing to its starboard side.  The three people aboard the Clarisa were transferred to the Coast Guard RB-S and taken to the Galveston Yacht Basin.

There were no reports of any injuries. 

HOUSTON- Salvages crews recovered the tug vessel J.R. Nichols early Saturday morning, and the Houston Ship Channel was reopened at 1:15 p.m. to all traffic.

The salvage vessel Big John hoisted the sunken 56-foot tug vessel from the Houston Ship Channel at 2 a.m. The J.R. Nichols had sank in the ship channel Wednesday evening with five crew members onboard. Four of the five were recovered with minor injuries, while the fifth crew member was recovered deceased by salvage crews Thursday.

The J.R. Nichols is currently moored near the Lyondell facility as the investigation continues into why the vessel sank. Absorbent boom has been deployed to contain the fuel that spilled from the tug, and while cleanup efforts continue.

The cause of the vessels' sinking is under investigation.

Any inquiries regarding the deceased crew member should be directed to the Harris County Medical Examiner's office.

HOUSTON - A salvage crewworking to raise the tug vessel that sank in the Houston Ship Channel recovered what is believed to be the vessel's missing crewmember Thursday.

The victim, a man, was found deceased by divers from TNT Marine, a salvage company hired to dive on the vessel early this afternoon.

The command center at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at 10:30 p.m., Wednesday, stating that the 56-foot tug boathad sank in the shipping channel near the Sims Bayou turning basin with five people onboard. Four of the five were recovered from the water by good Samaritan vessels and then transported to a local hospital by EMS. The four men displayed symptoms of hypothermia. One crew member, however, had remained missing.

The cause of death is under investigation by the County Medical Examiner's Office. The incident itself is under investigation by the Coast Guard and local authorities. 

The shipping channel remains closed from the Sims Bayou turning basin to the Vopak facility until the vessel is salvaged and relocated. 

HOUSTON- The Coast Guard, in conjunction with a Houston Police Department Dive Team and the Texas General Land Office, continue to respond to a sunken tug boat in the Houston Ship Channel, Thursday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, stating the J.R. Nichols, a 56-foot tug boat, had sank in the Houston Ship Channel near the Sims Bayou turning basin with five people onboard.

A vessel from the Lyondell facility rescued four of the five people onboard the tug boat. A Coast Guard 25-foot Response Boat-Small from Station Houston remains on scene, along with a dive team from the Houston Police Department, to search for the remaining person. In addition, an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Houston commenced a first light search at 7 a.m. Thursday.

A salvage plan for the J.R. Nichols has been submitted to the command staff at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston.

The Captain of the Port has closed the Houston Ship Channel from the Vopak facility to Sims Bayou in support of the search and rescue effort.

The cause of the vessel's sinking is under investigation.