Second missing kayaker in Dickinson Bay found at home after 12 hours of searching
SAN LEON, Texas (KTRK) -- The second of two kayakers was located safe Wednesday night after flipping over in Dickinson Bay.
The 30-year-old man was found safe at his home hours after the Coast Guard rescued the other man he was kayaking with. He reportedly had no idea people were searching for him.
Before receiving word that he was found safe, Coast Guard crews searched over 57 square miles for more than 12 hours.
"We are incredibly grateful this young man was located safe, and I want to thank each and every crew that assisted in our search efforts," said Cmdr. Jarod Toczko, search and rescue mission coordinator at Sector Houston-Galveston. "I also want to stress the importance of ensuring that you are prepared before entering the water. Wearing a life jacket, filing a float plan and checking the weather before departure are just a few simple steps that can truly make all the difference."
Authorities searched the waters of Dickinson Bay Wednesday morning for the man after another was rescued from an island.
Two people went into the water around 3:30 a.m. when their kayak flipped over. The kayakers were not wearing their life jackets at the time, according to authorities.
One kayaker was able to swim to an island in the bay and call his mother. She told ABC13 she found his location by using the Find my Friends app on her phone and called 911.
Crews aboard a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter pulled the man to safety. He was taken to UTMB in Galveston.
Search and rescue crews set up a command post as they looked for the other kayaker who was found Wednesday night.
The two had been fishing in Dickinson Bay before falling into the water, authorities said.
