CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard interdicted a Mexican lancha for poaching fish in U.S. waters and quickly responded to a second lancha that was sinking nearby, Sunday morning.
At approximately 12:30 a.m., a Coast Guard 87-foot patrol boat interdicted four Mexican fisherman aboard a lancha, for illegally fishing in U.S. waters.
Shortly after, a Coast Guard aircraft vectored the patrol boat to a sinking lancha. The patrol boat rescued four Mexican fishermen from the sinking lancha.
The seized lancha, onboard equipment and catch, and eight fisherman were taken back to South Padre Island. Arrangements were made for the fishermen to return to their country.
The seized catch included 147 snapper and 7 shark.
"Safety of life at sea continues to be our number one priority, even while enforcing the laws against illicit activity along the border," said Cmdr. Keith Pierre, the response officer at Sector Corpus Christi.