The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(PORT ARTHUR, Texas) — Coast Guard crews medevaced two men after they were struck by a pressurized object and suffered injuries aboard a tank ship about 20 miles off the Texas Point Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday afternoon.
The crew of the tanker United Ambassador contacted Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur watch standers, who alerted Sector Houston-Galveston watch standers at 2:35 p.m., reporting a 24-year-old man was struck in the head by a pressurized part, causing bleeding and unconsciousness, and a 42-year-old man's nose was broken. At approximately 2:45 p.m., watch standers diverted an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Houston and launched a 45-foot response boat from Station Sabine.
Once on scene, the helicopter and boat crews assessed the situation and decided to transfer the man with the head injury to the helicopter and the man with the broken nose was transferred to the response boat.
Both men were taken to The Medical Center of Southeast Texas. The 42-year-old is in stable condition. Due to severity of his injuries the 24-year-old was transferred to Christus Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth Hospital and was reportedly breathing but unconscious.
