Boaters rescued after spending night lost on the water

(10/29/07 - KTRK/BAYTOWN, TX) (KTRK) -- There was an emotional reunion Monday morning in Baytown. Five people, including a six-year-old boy, are back on dry land after spending the night lost on Trinity Bay. Only our cameras were there when the weary group arrived on shore.

Stephen Lopez, 6, didn't hide his happiness and his mom Reyna Qyntero couldn't hide her relieved tears upon seeing her son back on dry land around 9am. The boy, his father and three other men launched a boat from Crawleys Marina around 9pm Sunday. Then the engine died miles away from shore.

"The water was taking on," recalled boat owner Jose Lopez.

The boaters placed a cell phone call to 911. A dispatcher then alerted Texas Parks and Wildlife officials around 10:30pm. When their search stalled, the local Coast Guard was notified about four hours later. A rescue helicopter was then dispatched.

Adam Baird with the US Coast Guard explained, "We couldn't find them. They didn't know exactly where they were. They were lost. We looked, we searched all through the night."

Hours later, at 7:20am, officials located the boat. Weather conditions were cold and waters were rough.

"The waves were bad, the wind was bad, it was cold," said Baird. "We worried about hypothermia. They were wet. Also, there was a child on board."

A Coast Guard vessel transported the boaters back to the marina, none worse for the wear. Still, Bismark Rodriguez says the last 12 hours have changed his opinion of pleasure boating.

"They invited me yesterday," he said. "It was my first time on a boat. Never again."

The boaters were located just about four miles away from the marina. But if you ask them, they say it felt like a lot further than that.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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