Coast Guard Rescues Man Who Fell Off Tanker Ship Near Galveston

GALVESTON, TX, September 17, 2023 – A maritime emergency unfolded approximately 10 miles off the coast of Galveston on Sunday morning, prompting a swift response from the US Coast Guard Houston-Galveston.

At around 9:20 AM, the Coast Guard received a distress call from the tanker ship Ghibli, reporting that a crew member had fallen overboard without a life jacket on. Responding to the critical situation, the Coast Guard dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a 45-foot response boat to the tanker’s location.

The helicopter crew successfully located the individual drifting in the waters off the Galveston coast. Demonstrating exceptional skill and bravery, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer dove into the water, securing the crew member in a rescue basket for extraction.

Following the successful retrieval, the rescued individual was airlifted to UTMB Health’s John Sealy Hospital emergency center. Reports from the medical facility indicate that the crew member is in stable condition, averting a potentially tragic outcome.

Travis Addison, Operations Unit Controller at the Coast Guard’s Sector Houston-Galveston, highlighted the essential role of life jackets in maritime safety, noting the fortunate proximity of the helicopter crew at the time of the incident. “It was fortunate that our helicopter crew was flying nearby. If not, this case might have ended differently,” Addison remarked, underscoring the critical intervention by the Coast Guard in safeguarding lives at sea.