Coast Guard suspends search for missing father, son near Port Lavaca
PORT LAVACA, Texas - The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a father and his 15-year-old son who did not return from a shrimping trip near Port Lavaca on Saturday.
Authorities report the search was called off at 7:55 a.m. on Sunday after extensive efforts to locate the 50-year-old man and his son were unsuccessful. Coast Guard crews tirelessly scoured approximately 77 square miles over 21 hours.
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Watchstanders at Sector Corpus Christi received a distress call at 11:20 a.m. from the wife of the owner of the 40-foot shrimping vessel, My Possum. She reported that her husband, a deckhand on the vessel, and their son had departed Magnolia Beach at 5 a.m. for shrimping and were expected back by 10:30 a.m.
Upon receiving the report, an urgent marine information broadcast was issued. The Coast Guard promptly deployed an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi and a 29-foot Response Boat-Small from Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor.
Officials say a fire boat crew with Calhoun County reported finding a capsized vessel matching the description of the My Possum in the Matagorda Ship Channel off Magnolia Beach.
"Whenever we send our rescue crews out, it is with the ardent hope we can bring everyone home safely," said Homar Barrera, search and rescue mission coordinator, Sector Corpus Christi. "Unfortunately, after considering all pertinent factors, we made the difficult decision to suspend our search today."
The Coast Guard expressed its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the missing individuals.