One dead, one missing after charter boat collides with tanker in Port Aransas, Texas

The US Coast Guard reports that one person was killed while another has gone missing following a collision between a small recreational charter boat with four people on board and a commercial tanker in the waters of Port Aransas, Texas, on Saturday, July 13. The coast guard first learned of the incident involving the unnamed vessels at around 05:28 local time on Saturday when a Good Samaritan reported the collision to Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders.

The watchstanders then issued an urgent maritime information broadcast and directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi and a response boat–small from Coast Guard Station Port Aransas. Also involved in the search and rescue (SAR) effort were the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Aransas Pass Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Port of Corpus Christi Police Department.

The SAR effort led to the recovery of two survivors and one deceased individual from the surrounding waters. The survivors have since been handed over to emergency medical personnel.

On Sunday, July 14, the coast guard decided to call off the search for the fourth person who was also on the charter boat. By this time, the coast guard and partner agencies have searched by air and sea for approximately 44 combined hours and covered 127 square miles (329 square kilometres).