Coast Guard searching for missing commercial fisherman off South Padre Island, Texas

The Coast Guard is searching for a missing 35-year-old fisherman in the water off South Padre Island, Texas, Saturday.

Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a call at 5 a.m. on VHF-FM channel 16 from the master of the 65-foot commercial fishing vessel Santa Fe stating one of his crew members was missing 35 miles offshore Land Cut. 

Missing is a 5-foot, 10-inch tall, 150-pound Latino male last seen wearing a tank top and shorts. The man was reportedly not wearing a life jacket. 

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi and a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island 33-foot Special Purpose Craft–Law Enforcement boat crew to search for the fisherman. 

Anyone with information that may assist search efforts should contact Sector Corpus Christi at 361-939-0450.

-USCG-

U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Office: 281-464-4810
After Hours: 832-293-1293
PA Detachment Texas online newsroom