3 Texas Boaters Rescued After Week at Sea

(CBS/AP)  Three Texas boaters missing for a week were reunited with their families early Sunday after they were found alive, sitting on top of their capsized catamaran 180 miles from land, the Coast Guard said.

The crew of the Affordable Fantasy spotted the men Saturday night off Port Aransas and rescued them from their 23-foot catamaran, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee Aiello. A Coast Guard boat met them and brought them back to land, where emergency management services crews were waiting for them. They declined medical attention.

They were identified as Curtis Hall, 28, of Palacios; Tressel Hawkins, 43, of Markham; and James Phillips, 30, of Blessing, who owned the boat.

The three were reported missing Aug. 22 after they left Matagorda, about 90 miles southwest of Houston, on a fishing trip and never returned. Port Aransas is about 130 miles from Matagorda.

Hall, who spoke Monday morning to Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith, said the trio's troubles seemed to have begun "as soon as we got there."

They went to sleep that Friday night and were awakened by water coming in, said Shane Phillips, whose husband, James, was relaxing Sunday with his five children.

"They tried to start the pumps to get the water out," she told the Houston Chronicle. "They would not start."

Hall told The Early Show that once both the two engines onboard failed, it wasn't long before the twin-hull boat filled with water and capsized.

They fired off three flares hoping to get the attention of workers at a nearby oil rig, but no one responded.

The Coast Guard officials said they survived because they stuck with the boat. The men also rationed bubble gum and crackers and used a hose to suck fresh water out of the internal "washdown" tank. Fishermen often keep such a tank to wash fish slime off their boat when they are out in the salt water.

"It's not the cleanest, not the greatest and it tasted like diesel," Shane Phillips told the newspaper.

The Coast Guard had called off its search Friday after scouring 86,000 square miles of water without finding them, but Phillips told Smith he and his friends never lost hope, "no, never."

"Even though there's nobody out there, there's somebody out there. I always knew we were coming home," he said via satellite from Blessings, Texas on Monday morning. He said the men did a lot of praying during their week-long ordeal.

"Lots of promises were made out there," he told Smith. "I'm gonna hold every one of them."

"It's obvious they had a will to survive, and they did it for seven days," Aiello said late Saturday.

Hall's fiancee, Rebecca Kern, said it was difficult to describe her emotions.

"It's just been a roller coaster of emotions all week, the not knowing, getting upset and fearing for them out there. We weren't going to give up," she said. "We knew they were out there on that boat and we had to bring them home."

[Aldymac]

The diesel in the water could have had some carbs in it, who says oil isn't good for something. I bet they got a good bowel cleansing.

[TheMasses2002]

I wonder how much weight they lost?

Perhaps they feasted on plankton?

[John_Merritt]

What a great story of man's will to survive. The love for their family, and the love from their family kept them going I am sure. That and a whole lot of prayers. The stories they will be able to tell could us all with a little humility and appreciation for those things we have in this life, but rarely recognize.

Everybody has a story and if those 3 men were smart they would write a 'together' book and all share in the proceeds. They could very easily whip that thing out in 30 days while the memories are still fresh. I know I for one would be interested in hearing their story in the fourth person view. All I can say is 'God is Good'.

[docpeter1953]

Gee whiz, ......................

And all I was waiting for was to see how this was either GWB's or BHO's fault that the boat capsized.

[dwilson59]

I say bush and chaney's fault. Global warming cause the seals to leak then take on water. On the Oil rige it was Halliburton and they dont make any money or do not have a contract to rescue people.

I hope this clears it up.

[pensacola8-2009]

Wow! I am very happy to hear that good fortune finally came to those sailors! I used to sail the Gulf of Mexico and always had some reservations about depending on a 30 year vessel, but it never failed me. They were made better in those days. Loosing pilots, divers, and sailors is always sad stuff to read about.

To those rescued sailors: Enjoy your second chance to live!!! Our Creator obviously has a plan and needs to keep you around!! My next drink will be for you - men with the grit to survive.

Two good reads on this subject matter: The Raft, and The Earnest Shackleton Expedition.

[bobnjersey]

[Two good reads on this subject matter: The Raft, and The Earnest Shackleton Expedition. ]

another that's a novel ... and at first glance seems absurd ... is 'life of pi' ... about an indian boy who is lost at sea for months. great story ... and may have some good survival foder for those who may end up in this unfortunate situation.