Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Nov. 1, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee C. Aiello
(713) 578-3080

Coast Guard medevacs two men following helicopter crash in Gulf of Mexico

HOUSTON— The Coast Guard medevaced two men following a helicopter crash in the Gulf of Mexico, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 10:50 a.m. from the helicopter leasing company Rotorcraft, reporting that one of its helicopters had crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.  The helicopter was reported to have gone down in the vicinity of rig number 442A, which is approximately 75 miles southeast off the Galveston coast.  The helicopter was carrying one pilot and a passenger at the time it crashed.

The offshore supply vessel Amy Louis was in the vicinity of the helicopter's last reported position and immediately made its way to the scene. The crew of the Amy Louis arrived on scene and took both men aboard the vessel to await further transportation. 

A Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin helicopter was launched from Coast Guard Air Station Houston to medevac both men.  The men were reported to have sustained severe back injuries.

The Dolphin helicopter crew medevaced the men to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Oct. 29, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee C. Aiello
(713) 578-3080

Coast Guard medevacs man from fishing vessel in Gulf of Mexico
***Video Available***

To download this video click on the above thumbnail

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard medevaced a man from the fishing vessel Miss Ashley, approximately 16 miles south of the Cameron Jetties, Wednesday.

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 4:50 p.m. Wednesday, from a crewmember aboard the Miss Ashley reporting that a 50-year-old male passenger had sustained a possible broken leg.  It was also reported that the man was experiencing bleeding from the injured leg.

A Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Houston was launched to the fishing vessel's reported position.  The man was hoisted and medevaced by the Dolphin helicopter crew to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Sept. 17, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee C. Aiello
(832) 293-1293

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a tank ship approximately 60 miles off the Galveston coast, Thursday.  

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at 11:25 a.m. from a vessel agent representing Gulf Harbor Shipping, reporting that a 34-year old male on board the 798-foot tank ship Chemtrans Lyra, was experiencing loss of vision.   

An MH-65C rescue helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston was dispatched to the tank ship's reported position.  The crewmember was hoisted into the helicopter and transported to the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Video of the medevac can be found by clicking on the following link:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=659659

 ###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Aug. 30, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee C. Aiello
(832) 293-1293 

Coast Guard assists fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard assisted three fishermen approximately 30 mile off the coast from Freeport after their vessel was disabled, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston initially received an uncorrelated mayday at approximate 5:40 p.m. from the crew on board a fishing vessel needing immediate assistance. Watchstanders utilized the Rescue 21 system to provide a line of bearing and configured a search pattern from the coordinates.  An Air Station Houston MH-65C rescue helicopter and crew were immediately launched to the search area.  

Approximately 2-hours later, watchstanders received a call from a woman reporting her husband and two others onboard a fishing vessel were one hour overdue from a fishing trip. The men had left at 6 a.m. and were scheduled to return at 6 p.m.  The fishing vessel was described as being approximately 20-21 feet in length, white, with a blue top.  She also relayed that the men were headed to Tall Rocks, which is approximately 30-miles offshore.  Later, another family member was able to provide the exact coordinates for the specific location.

While in the air, the rescue helicopter crew recognized the close proximity of the two locations provided and determined the uncorrelated mayday and the overdue call were the same case.  The helicopter rescue crew discovered the disabled fishing vessel in the vicinity of the search coordinates.

"We pieced it all together in the air.  Once we arrived on scene a man on board began to flash what appeared to be a red spotlight and as we flew overhead they all began waving shirts over their heads to attract our attention," said Lt. Mike Cagle, Air Station Houston pilot.

Video of the Coast Guard assisting the fishermen can be found by clicking on the following link:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=649852

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: August 10, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer Prentice Danner(713) 578-3080

Coast Guard's Rescue 21 System helps rescue two teens

HOUSTON — By using the latest in search and rescue technology, the Coast Guard was able to quickly rescue two teenagers after their vessel began taking on water and sank about 30 miles from shore Monday.

The teens were in a 21-foot vessel south of Sabine Pass when their vessel started taking on water at 8:50 a.m. and eventually sank. A Coast Guard MH-65C helicopter crew was dispatched from Houston and quickly located the boaters. The young men were hoisted from the water and taken to the Lake Charles airport.

The Rescue 21 system aided in this rescue by providing searchers with a single line of bearing from where the mayday call originated, thereby greatly reducing the search area.  Installed in the Houston - Galveston area in October 2008 and formally accepted in June 2009,  Rescue 21 is the Coast Guard’s critical command, control and communications acquisition project, offering cutting edge technology to mariners nationwide.  It is the backbone of the National Maritime Distress and Response System, a maritime version of 9-1-1 that allows the boating public, the Coast Guard and other response agencies to communicate more effectively during emergency situations in the marine environment.

"The direction finding capability on Rescue 21 was 100% pertinent to the rescue of these two men," said Zack Edwards, the lead command center controller at Sector Houston-Galveston.

The advanced Rescue 21 system offers:

• Direction-finding capability.
• Reduction of coverage gaps along the coast.
• Improved call clarity.
• Enhanced playback capability.
• Digital archiving of calls.
• Increased and simultaneous channel monitoring capacity.

For more information about Rescue 21, please visit http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/rescue21/default.asp.

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: June 7, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee C. Aiello
(832) 293-1293

Coast Guard rescues two in Galveston Bay after catamaran capsizes

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard rescued two people from Galveston Bay in the vicinity of Smith Point after the catamaran they were sailing capsized, June 7, 2009.

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 2:30 p.m. from a 48-year-old man, reporting that the 19-foot catamaran he and fellow boater, age 45, were sailing was taking on water.   A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65C rescue helicopter crew was launched and arrived on scene to find that both men were forced to abandon the catamaran once it capsized. 

The rescue helicopter crew hoisted the two men and transported them back to Air Station Houston at Ellington Field where they awaited transportation.

Both men were reported to be in good condition. 

"They were only one-half mile from the shore.  It was very tempting for them to swim for it.  There is a reason for staying with the boat.  For the person looking from 500 feet above in the air it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack," said Lt. Kevin Kurczewski, an Air Station Houston MH-65C pilot. 

Video of interview with Lt. Kevin Kurczewski and B-roll footage can be found by clicking on the following link:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=577982

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: June 4, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee C. Aiello
(832) 293-1293

Coast Guard searches for man in vicinity of Holly Beach

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard is searching for a man who went missing after a personal water craft he was riding reportedly broke down 3 miles off Holly Beach in Calcasieu Pass, La., June 3, 2009. 

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 9:25 p.m. June 3, 2009, from the Cameron County Sheriff's Office reporting there were two males on a personal water craft off Holly Beach requiring assistance.  One of the males had safely made it to shore and was in the care of the Cameron County Sheriff's Office.  Officers lost sight of the second male after a storm passed through the area.

A 25-foot response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sabine was dispatched to begin the search. An MH-65C rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston was launched, and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Manta was also dispatched to assist in the search. 

All three Coast Guard assets are currently on scene this morning conducting a search in the vicinity of the area the man was last reported. 

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: May 18, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer Renee C. Aiello
(832) 293-1293

Coast Guard rescues two children, searches for one adult off the Port O'Connor coast

PORT O'CONNOR, Texas — The Coast Guard rescued two children, and continues to search for one adult approximately 17 miles southeast of Port O'Connor, May 18, 2009.

A watchstander at Coast Guard Station Port O'Connor received a call at approximately 9:30 p.m., May 17, 2009, from a woman reporting that her husband, age 38, and two children, ages 13 and 17, were overdue from a fishing trip.  The Coast Guard contacted area sheriff's departments to search for the truck and trailer used to transport the 19-foot fishing boat to a dock facility.  The truck and trailer were located at approximately 10 p.m.by the Matagorda County Sheriff's Office at Matagorda Harbor. 

A watchstander at Station Port O'Connor received a call at approximately 10:30 p.m. from Sector Corpus Christi reporting that employees from an offshore oil rig had spotted three persons in the water matching the description of the missing boaters.  A Coast Guard 41-foot boat crew was dispatched from Station Port O'Connor, and an HH-65C rescue helicopter crew and an HU-25 Falcon jet crew from Air Station Corpus Christi were launched to assist in the search.  

Workers from the oil rig reported that the 19-foot fishing boat was taking on water and had capsized under the rig.  Oil rig employees lowered lines to the children and safely hoisted them onto the rig.  A life-ring was lowered for the adult male, but he had reportedly drifted out of sight.

The HH-65C rescue helicopter crew landed on the rig and transported the children to Station Port O'Connor. The children were reunited with family upon reaching the station. 

A 41-foot rescue boat crew, helicopter rescue crew and Falcon jet crew are currently on scene searching for the 38-year-old male.  The Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead is scheduled to join the search effort this afternoon.  

###

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: April 23, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer Renee C. Aiello
(832) 293-1293

Coast Guard Air Station Houston adds an additional layer to port security

HOUSTON -  Coast Guard Air Station Houston participated in a combined helicopter-patrol vessel training, Wednesday, April 22, 2009, in the vicinity of Sylvan Beach.  The purpose of the training is to allow helicopter crews to practice hostile-boat intercept maneuvers. No live ammunition was used in the inland coastal waterways.

Air Station Houston's helicopters have been outfitted with mounts and other equipment needed for new weapons.  Additional crewmembers have been added and join the Coast Guard's existing fleet of armed boats, cutters and maritime security boarding teams equipped to stop maritime threats. Armed helicopters are another level of protection, which can be utilized to save lives and protect coastal assets.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the Coast Guard's role in Homeland Security has grown. The Coast Guard is both a federal law enforcement agency and a military service and has the authority and capability to employ armed boarding officers and armed boats, ships, and helicopters for law enforcement and security missions.

This training module is scheduled to conclude in the next several weeks.  Future training will be conducted periodically to maintain proficiency. 

###