A 55-year-old Houston man tragically lost his life after being pulled from the waters of Galveston yesterday morning. The man was boogie boarding with his wife off the coast near 31st Street when they both felt fatigued and attempted to head back to shore. While his wife managed to reach the land safely, she lost sight of him, as reported by Click2Houston.
"The wife's distress call, made at approximately 8:35 a.m., prompted swift action. Multiple agencies, including the Galveston Island Beach Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard, alongside local police, fire, and EMS personnel, engaged in a coordinated search and rescue effort, according to KHOU. The rescuers located the husband floating near the 24th Street west side of Tower 24, close to the head of a jetty, at around 9:09 a.m.
Upon recovery from the water, resuscitation efforts commenced immediately at the scene. He was subsequently transported to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) where he was pronounced deceased, the time of death being 9:49 a.m., as mentioned by Click2Houston. It was noted by officials that at the time of the incident, the beach was under a red flag warning due to dangerous conditions, which signals to beachgoers a high risk of strong currents and dangerous water conditions.
This incident has marked the fifth drowning in Galveston this year alone. The name of the man has yet to be released to the public as the investigation into the exact circumstances of the drowning is still ongoing.
