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This morning, 10-26-2020 at about 8:54 a.m., the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call from boaters who had capsized near the West Jetty Wall near Sabine Pass.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit had a patrol boat in the inter-coastal waterway near the Neches River Intersection which was quite a distance from the Jetty.
Due to the high risk of subjects possibly getting hypothermia and drowning, Sgt. B. Owens launched from the Sabine Pass station and headed to the area. While enroute, dispatch attempted to get a better location of the boaters location but was unsuccessful. The stranded boaters were unsure if they were on the Texas or Louisiana side.
Upon Sgt. Owens arrival in the area, he began checking the Texas Jetty Wall. The US Coast Guard arrived a short time later in their 45’ boat and began searching the Louisiana side Jetty Wall. A search was conducted from about the middle of the Jetty’s outbound to the end of the Jetty’s without success.
At this time, the on duty JCSO crew arrived in the area and began searching from the middle of the Jetty Wall back toward the coastline. Deputy Kelley advised that a tugboat had spotted the subjects about 1500 ft. off the West Jetty Wall (Texas side). Deputy Davis confirmed the subject’s location using binoculars but they could not get to subjects due to Jetty Wall Barrier.
Sgt. Owens was searching at the end of the Jetty’s which enabled him access around the Jetty Wall Barrier. Deputy Kelley and Deputy Davis directed Sgt. Owens to the subject’s location, which was about 1000 ft. off the coastline.
Upon arrival, Sgt. Owens observed that the boat upside down with the hull about 6” out of the water. Two men were sitting on top of the hull and a third was clinging to the side of the boat. All three subjects were wearing personal flotation devices and were pulled out of the water and onto the back deck of the patrol boat by Sgt. Owens. All three subjects refused medical care.
The US Coast Guard marked the GPS location of the boat while Sgt. Owens transported the subjects to the US Coast Guard Station Sabine docks. Once the men spoke to Coast Guard and Game Warden personnel, they were transported to their truck and trailer at to the public boat ramp in Sabine Pass.
Sgt. Owens quick actions and the teamwork by all of those involved lead to three men going home to their families today. Outstanding Job!
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10/26/2020 5:01 PM
Crystal Holmes, PIO
cholmes@co.jefferson.tx.us