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Coast Guard searches for 2 missing boaters near San Leon, Texas

April 26, 2016

* EDITOR'S NOTE: The name Raymond Janik was updated to reflect the proper spelling, which is Raymond Jacik.

HOUSTON — Coast Guard air and boat crews are searching for two overdue boaters in the areas of Galveston Bay, Trinity Bay and East Bay, Tuesday.

Overdue are 51-year-old Michael Watkins, reportedly wearing dark blue shorts and a dark grey shirt, and Raymond Jacik, unknown age and description. They were last seen aboard a white and red 20-foot Larson boat with a blue top.

The family of the boaters notified the Galveston County Sheriff Office at approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday, after the men had not returned from fishing the day before. Sheriffs then notified Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders. The initial report stated that the boaters left the Bayshore Park boatramp at 7 a.m. Monday and were expected to return around 1 p.m. Monday.

Crews aboard Station Houston and Station Galveston 29-foot response boats and aircrews aboard an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and an Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane have been searching since 10 a.m. Tuesday. 

Galveston County Sheriffs located the truck and trailer at the boatramp Tuesday morning.

Anyone with information that can assist search crews is urged to call the Sector Houston-Galveston Command Center at 281-464-4854 or on the radio at VHF-FM channel 16.

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