The U.S. Coast Guard recently rescued 8 people from a burning fishing vessel off the coast of Freeport, Texas.
Seven adults and 1 child were aboard the 48-foot fishing boat when a crewmember called the Coast Guard, reporting a fire on the boat and saying that the crew was preparing to abandon the vessel. The Coast Guard launched crews from Freeport to contain the fire and transfer the fishing vessel members to a rescue boat.
The command duty officer from the Houston-Galveston sector of the Coast Guard, Lt. j.g. Melissa McCafferty, said everyone aboard the fishing vessel was wearing a life jacket and had access to a six-man life raft. She said it was a great example of observing boating safety.
