Dredge barge rescues three boaters after vessel fire near Galveston

The Coast Guard and good Samaritans rescued three boaters last week after a vessel fire near Galveston, Texas.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a report at 9:25 a.m. from the crew of the dredge barge Master Dylan of three people in the water near a 25-foot oyster boat that had caught fire in Galveston Bay.

The dredge barge crew safely removed all three people from the water.

The boater’s injuries reportedly included a broken leg, severe burns and smoke inhalation.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Galveston 29-foot Response Boat–Small crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew.

Once on scene, the RB–S crew took aboard the three boaters and transported them to Station Galveston, where emergency medical services personnel were waiting to transport them to the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.