Capt. James Roberston, the outgoing commanding officer, inspects personnel, completes the transfer of command and departs with his wife during the ceremony at the Charles T. Doyle Convention Center in Texas City, Texas. U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Kendrick and Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Lehmann.

HOUSTON — The commander of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Texas City passed on command of his unit Thursday, during a change-of-command ceremony at the Charles T. Doyle Convention Center in Texas City.

Capt. James Robertson transfered the duties and responsibilities of commanding officer to Cmdr. Ricardo Alonso during the official ceremony. Roberston and his family will now transfer to Schinnen, Netherlands, where he will assume the duties of commanding officer of Coast Guard Activities Europe.

Alonso assumes command of MSU Texas City after serving as the Senior Prevention Assignment Officer at Coast Guard Personnel Service Center in Arlington, Va.  As commanding officer of MSU Texas City, he will be responsible for 129 crewmembers who perform numerous missions including: commercial vessel inspections, port state control examinations, facility safety and security, marine casualty investigations, waterways management, maritime law enforcement, commercial fishing vessel safety, and all multi-mission response operations. These operations span more than 120 miles of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, 26 miles of the Houston Ship Channel and include the ports of Galveston, Freeport and Texas City.

The change of command is a time-honored tradition that ensures the continuity of command of the unit and its personnel. It is a formal ceremony and marks the transfer of total responsibility, authority and accountability for the unit and its assigned missions. It is conducted according to a formally prescribed ritual, to honor and maintain traditions of the service.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard and maritime partnering agencies will be providing a National Safe Boating Week open house at Coast Guard Station Port Aransas, Saturday.

Who: The Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Texas Department of Public Safety Marine Division and other partner agencies

What: A National Safe Boating Week open house

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: 800 North Station Street, Port Aransas, Texas, 78373

The following guest speakers will provide opening remarks at the event at 10:30 a.m.:

• Mayor Keith McMullin
• Capt. Samuel Creech, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi
• Senior Chief Petty Officer Matt Vaughn, the officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Port Aransas
• Lou Manganiello, the Coast Guard Auxiliary Commander of Division 7.

There will be various official rescue boats on display for public viewing, interactive booths that teach boater safety and a maritime pyrotechnic demonstration of handheld flares for boater awareness and education. Food and beverages will be available. 

Coastie, an animated robot tugboat, will be on hand to interact and entertain children while teaching them what to do and not to do when on or around the water.

“Boating safety and education is a key element to a safe and enjoyable maritime experience,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Matt Vaughn. “Our event at Coast Guard Station Port Aransas is an opportunity to engage with the maritime community in a positive and proactive manner. National statistics suggest that a lack of boater education and proper equipment knowledge are a major component in marine accidents. We'd like to take this opportunity to promote safe boating and prevent accidents before they happen and ultimately build our community relationships.” 

National Safe Boating Week reminds boaters to “Wear It!” this summer.  A life jacket is one of the most effective and simple proven life-saving strategies for safe recreational boating.  During all recreational water activities it’s important to remember safety precautions.  With approximately 500 people drowning each year from recreational boating accidents, it is imperative to spread the message of responsible boating and a simple life-saving strategy – “Wear It!” – wear a life jacket at all times on the water. 

Station Port Aransas was originally opened on June 18, 1878, as a life saving station in Port Aransas by an act of Congress. In January of 1915, the modern day Coast Guard was formed, and the life-saving station on Mustang Island became Coast Guard Station Port Aransas.  This station remained occupied by the crew until 1976, when it was replaced by the current Coast Guard station you see today.

For more information, contact Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Evans at (361) 438-0176.

	A Coast Guard aircrew stands with the man they rescued after his Jet Ski became disabled and capsized in South Bay near Port Aransas, Texas, May 14, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo and video.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Coast Guard helicopter crew conducting a training flight was diverted to rescue a man clinging to a telephone pole in the water Tuesday in South Bay, Port Aransas, Texas.

Maison Rickmon of Cuero, was riding his personal watercraft earlier in the day when it became disabled and was capsized by waves in the bay, leaving him in the water without a life jacket. He swam to the 100-foot wooden telephone pole, where he grabbed a bolt that was sticking out and he waited.

At about 9:20 p.m., someone noticed the capsized watercraft and called the Coast Guard for help. The Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders diverted the aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from their training mission and deployed a response boat crew from Station Port Aransas to search for a possible missing person.

The helicopter crew launched that day to work on getting one of the pilots qualified for hoist operations, but there wasn't enough time or fuel to land and switch out the pilot.

The reporting source flashed their headlights toward the capsized watercraft to vector the helicopter in. After a 10-minute search of the immediate area, the helicopter's flight mechanic spotted Rickmon partially out of the water, clinging to the bolt. The pilot in training, Lt. Eric Vryheid, was able to maneuver near power lines and a bridge to deliver the rescue swimmer and hoist them both, completing his first rescue.

"I saw a helicopter fly by and tried to signal it with my flashlight, but it had died," said Rickmon. "Then I saw it fly past me again, slower this time, and I waved and splashed water frantically but I was tired so I couldn't splash too much. It was such a relief when I realized that the Coast Guard saw me, and when I saw the rescue swimmer being lowered from the helicopter. I knew I was being rescued."

Rickmon was transported to Sector Corpus Christi where EMS was standing by.

"It was pretty exciting," said Lt. Vryheid. "Going out for training similar to this and getting to actually do it on the same flight was awesome. It was a little more complex than an open water rescue, we had power lines and a bridge nearby. The rescue swimmer had a pretty significant distance to swim."

"I am extremely proud of my crew for their keen eye spotting the survivor and their quick action getting him out of the water to safety,” said Lt. Keith Thomas, the instructor pilot. “It was a very challenging rescue in a confined area as there were multiple hazards in our path, such as power lines.  We were also low on fuel."

“For the crew aboard the MH-65 helicopter, whose night began only as a training mission; the unexpected rescue is a testament to the skill of the members of Air Station Corpus Christi to execute the mission, even those unexpected, with proficiency,” said Capt. Samuel Creech, the commanding officer of Air Station Corpus Christi. 

Coast Guard reminds boaters that they should always wear life jackets while underway, and, in addition, have flares or other signaling devices as part of their vessel’s safety equipment.

May 18 to 24 is National Safe Boating Week throughout the nation with events throughout South Texas to help bring attention to safe and responsible boating.  See the following websites for additional details:

http://www.uscgboating.org/ 

http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — An endangered sea turtle and five sharks were released back to the ocean late Sunday night after the Coast Guard spotted Mexicans fishing illegally in U.S. waters, approximately 1 mile north of the U.S. and Mexico border. 

The fishing boat, known as a lancha, was spotted along with three others by a Coast Guard air crew aboard an HU-25 Falcon jet, during a patrol of the border.

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island dispatched a boatcrew at about 6:30 p.m. aboard a 33-foot Law Enforcement Special Purpose Craft (SPC-LE) to the last known position of the lanchas, 1 mile offshore. The station's boatcrew quickly recovered the illegal fishing gear and was able to safely release an endangered sea turtle and five sharks back into the wild.

“Due to the quick response of Station South Padre Island’s crew, five sharks and a sea turtle that were found in vessel’s long-line gear were released back into the ocean alive,” said Cmdr. Daniel Deptula, the response department head at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi. “This is a particularly significant case because we were able to save one of our endangered species and highlights the significant threat to the living marine resources of South Texas.”

The three lanchas previously spotted were not found when boat crews arrived.

Illegal fishing by Mexican nationals in the gulf region, along the U.S. and Mexico border, continues to be a prevalent and complex issue.

“Mexican fisheries have been depleted due to wasteful fishing methods such as gill netting and over fishing, which is why there has been increased illegal fishing activity into U.S. waters,” said Deptula.  “And though these particular lanchas were found illegally fishing, these vessels are also known to smuggle illicit narcotics and people into the United States.”

During 2013, Sector Corpus Christi and its outlying units have seized 11 lanchas and more than 13 miles of fishing gear. Additionally, 513 fish and 86 sharks have been seized, and one live sea turtle has been returned to the sea.  

For more information, please see the Coast Guard's Web site on Living Marine Resources. 

Rear Adm. Kevin Cook, the new 8th District commander, visits South Texas and the Coast Guard units within the area as part of a two day familiarizarion tour. U.S. Coast Guard photo

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The newly appointed commander of units within the Coast Guard's vast 8th District, based out of New Orleans, La., addressed Coast Guard members stationed at Sector Corpus Christi Thursday, located on Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.

The sector was just one of the stops during Rear Adm. Kevin Cook's two day familiarization tour of South Texas and the Coast Guard units located there. The tour kicked off just five days after he assumed duties as district commander.

The tour also included visits to the Coast Guard Harbor Facility located in Corpus Christi Harbor, Kiewit Offshore Services in Ingleside, Station South Padre Island and Marine Safety Detachment Brownsville.

During his tour, Cook expressed that he was excited to have assumed the role of 8th District commander and that he was interested in seeing the unique operations being conducted in this part of the country where all facets of the Coast Guard are represented.

Cook's previous assignments include director of the Operations Command Implementation Team in Portsmouth, Va., and deputy commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area.

The 8th District covers all or part of 26 states throughout the Gulf Coast and heartland of America.  It stretches from the Appalachian Mountains and the Chattahoochee River in the east, to the Rocky Mountains in the west, and from the U.S./Mexico border and the Gulf of Mexico in the south to the North Dakota/Canada border in the north.

A photo of the overdue boat and the Coast Guard search pattern.

HOUSTON — Coast Guard crews are searching for three or four men aboard a white 29-foot Chris-Craft Catalina sport fishing boat about 95 miles southeast of Galveston Wednesday.

The girlfriend of Michael Hagen, the boat's owner, called Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders to report him overdue Tuesday night.  It was reported that he left Monday for an overnight trip to Stetson Bank and the Flower Garden Banks, but he and his friends didn't return between 8 and 10 p.m., as expected. The watchstanders launched an Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane and crew to search for the men at 7:45 a.m., Wednesday.

Authorities located his truck at the Galveston Yacht Basin.  The watchstanders checked with people aboard other boats and aircraft in the suspected area to see if they could locate the missing boaters and issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to inform and enlist the help of other mariners.

The other crewmembers were only identified by their first names, Ryan and Felix. The fourth possible crewmember's name is unknown. 

"Filing an adequate float plan will always help the Coast Guard find overdue boaters in distress," said Lt. Brian Sullivan, the sector command duty officer. "Having a proper EPIRB will also assist the Coast Guard in locating them."

An EPIRB is an electronic position indicating radio beacon that sends a signal with your position to rescue coordinators when activated. Mariners are always encouraged to file a float plan, or let someone know exactly where they are going and when they will be back.

The men have not been confirmed to be in distress, however, the Coast Guard requests anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of the vessel and crew to contact the Sector Houston-Galveston command center at 713-678-9000.

The crew of a Coast Guard rescue helicopter hoists a man from the crew ship Orien to take him to medical care. U.S. Coast Guard video. (View on DVIDS or Download from CGVI)

HOUSTON — A 45-year-old man was medevaced Sunday morning, after crewmembers found him unconscious aboard a crew boat approximately 76 miles off Cameron, La. 

The crew of the Citation, the sister ship of the 97-foot Orien, contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston for assistance, reporting that a deckhand on the Orien was found unconscious.

The watchstanders launched aircrews aboard an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Houston to medevac the man and an Air Station Corpus Christi HU-25 Falcon jet to assist with communications and support.

The aircrew transported him, in stable condition, to West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital for medical care.

“A medical emergency offshore requires an immediate response,” said Lt. Spencer Roach, the command duty officer at the sector. “Every minute counts. The rapid response of the aircrew may have made the difference.”

The crew of a fishing boat retrieve a couple distressed kayakers, who were pushed off shore by high winds. U.S. Coast Guard video.

HOUSTON — The crew of a fishing boat returned two kayakers to safety Friday, after strong, northern winds pushed them out to sea off High Island, Texas.

One of the distressed kayakers contacted Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders at approximately 11:30 a.m., with a VHF handheld radio, stating that strong winds prevented them from returning to shore.

The watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and diverted an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Air Station Houston to assist.

The crew of the World Freedom, a fishing boat in the vicinity of the kayakers, responded to the UMIB, brought the kayakers aboard and transported them close enough to shore for them to safely make it in.

“In this particular case, what’s really important to outline is the fact that things can go wrong,” said Lt. Brian Seekatz, one of the pilots aboard the helicopter. “These kayakers found themselves in a situation with uncommon, strong, northern winds, where they could not paddle back to shore. The fact that they had a radio on their kayak to call the Coast Guard saved their lives, without expending our resources and personnel.”

All mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM marine-band radio as their primary means of communication on the water. VHF-FM marine-band radios are far more reliable than cells phones in the marine environment. VHF-FM Channel 16, the international hailing and distress channel, is monitored by the Coast Guard and state marine patrols around the clock. In addition, all mariners in the vicinity will hear distress calls broadcast over VHF-FM Channel 16. Urgent safety information and weather reports for boaters are also broadcast over marine band radio channels.

To learn more about safe boating practices, visit the Coast Guard Boating Safety Resource Center at USCGboating.org.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Sabco Operating Company has completed the safe removal of all liquids from a leaking holding tank, Thursday, about 5 miles off the coast of Matagorda Island, Texas. 

The Coast Guard along with local, state, and federal agencies, stood up an incident management team to closely monitor the actions being taken by Sabco Operating Company and to ensure any environmental impact was minimized in response to the reported leak. All transfer operations have been completed without an oil sheen having been observed or reported.  

By design, the tank consisted of more than 300,000 gallons of medium crude oil product that sat on more than 150,000 gallons of water, which acts as a buffer to prevent the release of oil in the event of a leak such as this.  The oil platform had three replenishment pumps, each of which was able to replace the water in the tank faster than it was leaking.  The leak was estimated at three-gallons-per-minute from the partially plugged half-inch size hole.

The oil barge Andrea 2604 arrived today at approximately 6:30 a.m. and completed the removal of all liquids from the tank at 1:50 p.m. Responders were on standby to quickly respond if needed throughout the removal process.

“We are extremely thankful that the response plans in place and coordinated efforts by all agencies involved and the responsible party went flawlessly with minimal impact, if any, to our environment,” said Coast Guard Capt. Randal Ogrydziak, the federal on-scene coordinator for the response. “The Coast Guard and the Texas General Land Office will be working with the Sabco Operating Company to ensure repairs and follow-on preventative measures are completed and in compliance with federal and state regulations.”

The incident management team consists of the Coast Guard, Sabco Operating Company, Texas General Land Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Railroad Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Park Service. 

Coast Guard crews aboard the Cutter Amberjack and MH-65 Dolphin helicopters were on scene throughout the operation to validate that all proper actions were taken. The Coast Guard thanks the cooperation of all boaters in keeping a safe distance from the oil platform while responders worked to resolve this potential threat.

For more information, contact Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Evans at (361) 438-0176 or Mr. Tim O’Leary, on behalf of Sabco Operating Company, at (281) 352-7740.

A small leak is visible in this photo of the oil platform holding tank. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Federal, state and local agencies and responders are working Wednesday to mitigate possible impact from an oil platform that has a small leak of water coming from a large tank that also contains crude oil and is located about 5 miles off Matagorda Island, Texas.

Tuesday, the Sabco Operating Company notified the Coast Guard of the leak on the bottom of a holding tank on Matagorda Island 629L fixed oil platform. The Coast Guard, partnering with local, state, and federal agencies, stood up an incident management team, to closely monitor the actions being taken by Sabco Operating Company and to ensure any environmental impact is minimized.

The tank consists of more than 300,000 gallons of medium crude oil product sitting on more than 150,000 gallons of water that acts as a buffer to prevent the release of product in the event a leak. Water is currently being pumped into the tank faster than the estimated three-gallon-per-minute release rate from the partially plugged half-inch size hole.

Sabco Operating Company arranged for the oil barge Andrea 2604 to arrive Thursday and is expected to have the product removed by Thursday afternoon.  Responders are on standby to quickly respond if needed throughout the evolution.

“Although presently anticipated to have minimal impact to the environment, Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi will be aggressively working with the responsible party and all of our partner agencies to properly execute the response to this potential threat,” said Coast Guard Capt. Randal Ogrydziak, the federal on scene coordinator for the response.

The incident management team consists of the Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, Sabco Operating Company, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Park Service.

The company has ceased all operations at the platform and is waiting for ultrasound testing of the material around the hole before attempting repairs to prevent further damage and greater discharge rates.

The Coast Guard Cutter Amberjack and Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopters will be on scene throughout this operation for crews to validate that all proper actions are being taken. The Coast Guard is asking all boaters to keep a safe distance of at least one half mile from the oil platform while responders work to resolve this potential threat.

For more information, contact Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Evans at (361) 438-0176 or Mr. Tim O’Leary, on behalf of Sabco Operating Company, at (281) 352-7740.

Coast Guard personnel participate in an exercise in Robstown, Texas, to prepare new people and refresh the current staff in hurricane response operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Coast Guard held a hurricane exercise Wednesday, to ready themselves for the coming hurricane season, at the Robstown Fairgrounds in Robstown, Texas.

The exercise focused on initial response, planning, and execution during a hurricane and provided an opportunity to improve preparedness and practice command and control with Coast Guard men and women, including newly stationed members in South Texas.

“It’s important to test our contingency plans through training and exercises, so that everyone involved understand their responsibilities and can work together to respond to severe weather in South Texas,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Allen, the Coast Guard planning section chief at the sector.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Vicchiariello, an aviation survival technician at Air Station Houston, escorts a medevac patient into the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, April 25, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Manda M. Emery

HOUSTON — A Coast Guard rescue swimmer, and Port Jervis, N.Y., native, medevaced a man from a bulk carrier in the Gulf of Mexico, about 45 miles east of Galveston, and his crew delivered the man to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for treatment Thursday.

A ship's representative, for the Bahamian flagged bulk carrier Blackfin, contacted Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders at 7:18 a.m., to report that the chief engineer was suffering from abdominal and back pain.  Starting 130 miles from shore, a Coast Guard flight surgeon in New Orleans determined the ship was too far and his symptoms were to severe to wait for their return to port.

An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and crew were diverted to rescue the man while an Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew provided communications cover and helped prepared the ship's crew for the medevac.

The newly qualified rescue swimmer was lowered more than 100 feet to the deck of the ship on his first search and rescue case.  The pilots held their position in 20 to 25 knot winds while avoiding the ship's loading cranes as the man was hoisted about 125 feet up to the helicopter.

"I was nervous at first because it was the real deal," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Vicchiariello, the rescue swimmer lowered to help the injured man. "It was a good experience. Helping people is something I always wanted to do."

The man was delivered to UTMB Galveston at about 2:30 p.m. in stable condition.

"The geographic separation between our responding units in Mobile, Ala., New Orleans and Houston working together to assist someone in acute pain offshore, was impressive," said Lt. Matthew Walter, a command duty officer at the sector. "Coordinating information to locate a vessel reportedly 100 miles offshore, with a crew that barely spoke English, was a challenging task."

HOUSTON — Coast Guard aircrews have rescued one crewmember and are searching for four others after their fishing vessel sank 115 miles southeast of Galveston, Friday.

Watchstanders at the 8th Coast Guard District command center received an alert from the 406 MHZ Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon of a fishing vessel at approximately 3:30 a.m. 

An aircrew aboard an HU-25 Falcon jet was launched from Air Station Corpus Christi to provide an overflight of the area and spotted a man waving his arms aboard an orange raft. An MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Air Station Houston were launched and hoisted the man to safety. The survivor reported that there were four other crewmembers aboard the vessel before it sank. The man was taken to a nearby oil rig to address any medical concerns and to allow the helicopter crew to resume their search.

Coast Guard crews have launched and diverted aboard following assets to assist in the search:

• An MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Stations Houston and New Orleans
• An HU-25 Falcon jet from Air Station Corpus Christi
• The Coast Guard Cutter Thetis, homeported in Key West, Fla.
• An HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala.

"We're currently responding to an EPIRB hit that has quickly become a major search-and-rescue operation," said Kevin Robb, a watchstander with the 8th District command center. "We have crews from all over the Gulf region descending on the general area where the boat went down to search for these remaining crewmembers."

Click here for a video of the first sighting of the raft and of the rescuee returning to dry land.

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard suspended their search for four missing fishermen off the Galveston coast at 12:30 p.m., Sunday.

"As always the Coast Guard heartfelt condolences go out to the family members of the missing fishermen," said Kevin Robb, a search and rescue mission controller at the 8th Coast Guard District command center.

Rescue crews searched approximately 5,400 square miles — roughly the size of Connecticut — with planes, helicopters and boats.

Watchstanders at the 8th District command center received an alert from the 406 Mhz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon of the fishing boat at approximately 3:30 a.m., Friday.

An Air Station Corpus Christi HU-25 Falcon jet was launched for crews to provide an over flight of the area and they spotted a man waving his arms aboard an orange liferaft. An MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Air Station Houston hoisted the man to safety and brought him back to shore, Friday. The survivor reported that there were four other crewmembers with him aboard the boat.

Coast Guard crews utilized the following assets to conduct the search:

• MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopters from Air Stations Houston and New Orleans
• HU-25 Falcon jets from Air Station Corpus Christi
• The Coast Guard Cutter Thetis, homeported in Key West, Fla.
• and HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala.

The weather on scene was 10 to 15 foot seas with 33 mph winds, with gusts up to 40. The water temperature was 55 degrees.

Video from the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service in Houston.

HOUSTON — Three men were brought to safety by a good Samaritan after the men's shrimp boat caught fire just north of the South Galveston Jetty, Friday.

The captain of the shrimp boat Angel Lady called the watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston at 10:04 a.m., reporting that the shrimp boat Capt. Hunter was on fire with three people aboard. The Coast Guard Cutter Manta was diverted and a boatcrew from Station Galveston was launched to assist. The station boatcrew arrived in about 10 minutes, but before they arrived on scene, a good Samaritan aboard a pleasure craft rescued the three crewmembers in distress. 

The tug Lamar arrived on scene at 11:16 a.m. and extinguished the fire.

"Fire is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a boat out on the water," said Lt. Brian Sullivan, the command duty officer of Sector Houston-Galveston. "The fact that a good Samaritan put themselves in such a risky position to save lives is something we in the Coast Guard can definitely relate to."

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the fire. 

In the case of a fire, the Coast Guard renders assistance as available, based on the level of personnel training and the adequacy of equipment. As Coast Guard units do not normally have advanced firefighting capabilities, firefighting operations are limited to those that would save a life or would avert a significant threat.