Coast Guard searches for tanker crewman in Gulf

The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas) — Coast Guard crews and the tanker Elia crew are searching for one of Elia's crewmen off Port Aransas, Texas, on Sunday.

Missing is the chief engineer, a 47-year-old Russian man.

After searching throughout the ship, the crew of the 800-foot Liberian flagged tanker called the Coast Guard for help at 1:55 p.m. They reported that the chief engineer had been seen around 10:10 a.m., but did not show up after being requested at 10:30 a.m. They were about 20 miles offshore, en route to the Port Aransas anchorage.

Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston watchstanders responded to the call and Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders began facilitating the search with crews from a Corpus Christi based MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and Port Aransas based 45-foot response boat. A Corpus Christi based HU-25 Falcon airplane crew also joined the search.

If crews are unable to locate him before nightfall, the Coast Guard cutter Amberjack, an 87-foot patrol boat, is expected to search throughout the night.

By Professional Mariner Staff