The U.S. Coast Guard says a boater who had been believed to possibly be missing near Galveston along the Texas Gulf Coast was never actually missing.
The Coast Guard and the Tiki Island police department became concerned after receiving a call around 2 a.m. Saturday about an unmanned 21-foot boat found near the east side of Jones Bay, located northwest of Galveston.
Officials were unable to contact the boat's owner and began searching for the individual.
The owner of the boat learned of the search on social media and contacted officials, telling them his boat had broken away from where it had been secured during severe storms that swept through Texas and other parts of the U.S. South Friday night.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Phillip Woods says his agency treats cases of adrift vessels the same as a man overboard until "we can be certain the owner or operator is accounted for."
