Wave carried 22-year-old away after boat sank off Texas coast. Search suspended
Update, April 1: The search for missing 22-year-old Sergy Estrada has been called off after over 40 combined hours of searching nearly 230 square miles off the Texas coast, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.
“It is never easy making the decision to suspend a search and rescue case, and it’s only made after careful consideration of many resources and factors,” said Capt. Keith Donohue, search and rescue mission coordinator with Sector Houston-Galveston, in a news release. “After spending time with Sergy’s family over the past couple of days, I know how profoundly they miss their loved one, and I wish them the best during this difficult time.”
Estrada and two other men fell in the water after their boat sank, authorities said. Early reports said the boat capsized.
Original story is below:
Three men fell into the water when their boat capsized off the Texas coast, officials say. Now a search is underway for a 22-year-old man who remains missing after reports of a wave carrying him away from his fellow boaters.
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston says it learned of the capsized 12-foot Jon boat near the Galveston Jetties at 1:03 a.m. on Thursday, March 31.
Watchstanders joined the search for the three men, and at about 1:30 a.m., a Houston Pilot crew rescued two of the boaters. They were brought to shore and taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in stable condition, according to a news release.
Authorities say the third man — who was still missing as of mid-day March 31 — was reportedly separated from the others when he was “hit by a wave” following “an extensive amount of time” in the water together.
The missing 22-year-old man is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 180 pounds, officials said. He was last seen wearing a green shirt and blue jeans, and authorities do not know if he was wearing a life jacket.
Anyone with information that may help with the search is asked to call Sector Houston-Galveston at 281-464-4851.
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Wave carried 22-year-old away after boat sank off Texas coast. Search suspended."