An Air Station/Sector Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew stands with three men and two dogs they picked up from Padre Island National Seashore in Texas on Aug. 27, 2014. A man with two dogs got his vehicle stuck and two other men got their jeep stuck trying to help him. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Air Station Corpus Christi
The U.S. Coast Guard picked up three men and two dogs from Padre Island National Seashore after their vehicles became disabled on the beach Wednesday.
At approximately 9:00 p.m., the wife of Derik Donald called watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command Center to request help for him and his two dogs who were stuck on the beach in a disabled vehicle as the tide was rapidly rising approximately eight miles south of Bob Hall Pier.
The watch standers notified the Kleberg County Sheriffs and Customs and Border Protection, requesting they attempt to reach the man. Both agencies responded but were unable to make contact with the man due to the incoming tide that covered the entire beach. The watch standers diverted an aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from a training flight and an aircrew aboard an HU-25 Guardian from a patrol to locate the man and provide assistance.
The rescue helicopter arrived on scene and found two vehicles, three men, and two dogs stuck on the beach with the water partially submerging one of the vehicles. Two of the men, Christian Boyd and Stephen Caruso, spotted Donald stuck on the beach and attempted to tow him out of the surf, but their vehicle broke. All three were unable to call for help due to lack of cell coverage. Donald was only able to get a weak signal to send an email to his wife who contacted the Coast Guard.
The rescue helicopter landed on the beach and brought all three men and both dogs aboard and flew them to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.
