Family rescued from burning boat off Galveston Jetty talks about ordeal

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- A family was saved from their burning yacht by a group of people who happened to be in the right place, at the right time.

This happened Saturday night near the south Jetty off Galveston. Eyewitness News spoke to the good Samaritans who saved the family and how grateful that family is to be talking about their experience.

At first, they noticed little bit of smoke, but they thought it was oil burning off the boat's engine. But, they could not see what others could see in the water.

Boaters told them there were flames coming from their boat off of the Galveston Jetty Saturday.

"I was scared something would happen to him. The moment I saw the fire I thought just grab Jarid and throw him down to get in the water," said mother Brittany Blackman.

Brittany already had her 6-year-old son Jarid in a life-jacket on the boat.

"She threw him to me and said get our son, we got his life jacket make sure it was all safe and secure for him," said rescuer Leslie Prince.

Little Jarid listened to his mother.

"I climbed up the ladder to get away from the smoke. It was coming up to the captain's place," said Jarid.

Brittany and her son swam to the first people on a boat who saw the fire and rushed to help. Brittany's boyfriend and the captain were next.

"He jumped off the side. I jumped off the back and two separate boats got us. One went one way, one went the other way," said Prince.

Then, within seconds, the boat was engulfed in flames. The Coast Guard says the boat's tank exploded.

"When you're in a situation like that, you just do. You don't stand around," Brittany said.

Two boaters say they were in the right place at the right time to rescue the family.

"We started to pull up to them but by then the flames were getting too big, too hot. So we told them just get out of there. Jump and we'll pick you up," said rescuer Michael Losoya.

"My mom said, 'God bless you Jesus,'" said Jarid.

The three are OK. The captain of the boat, who is also a family friend, has some bumps and bruises on his head.

"We were grateful that they were there because if they didn't turn around we would've been in the middle of nowhere with no one," said Leslie.