Missing kayaker found dead near Texas City Dike identified

Saturday, May 4, 2019
Missing kayaker identified after body found near Texas City Dike
ABC13's Katherine Marchand reports from Texas City where authorities are investigating an apparent drowning of a missing kayaker.

TEXAS CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- Police identified a 41-year-old kayaker whose body was found just off the Texas City Dike hours after he was reported missing.

According to Texas City police, officers received a call of a missing person just after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. They said Steven Ramos, of Houston, launched his kayak around the 1000 block of Dike Road earlier in the afternoon.

Police said the man was supposed to meet someone around 8 p.m.

Ramos was last seen about 300 yards off the north side of the dike, police said.

The police and fire departments, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard, took part in the search for Ramos.

It wasn't until just before 4 a.m. Wednesday that authorities were told by a relative and a friend of Ramos that his body was located near the 2000 block of Levee Road.

Police said Ramos appeared to have died from drowning.

The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office was also called to the scene to investigate the cause and manner of Ramos' death.

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