Fishermen Hit By ‘Rogue Wave’ In Gulf of Mexico, Lone Survivor Says


Five fishermen were hit by a “rogue wave,” according to the lone survivor, who was rescued two hours after the incident began.

The survivor, John Reynolds, stated that he and the four other fisherman aboard the Nite Owl weren’t concerned when thunderstorms prevented the commercial fishing boat from returning to shore.

Reynolds recalled that the crew did what they normally would in the situation — tie the boat to an oil rig off the Texas Gulf Coast. Then, they fell asleep.

But their sleep was disturbed early Friday morning when “a rogue wave, a freak wave or something hit the side of the boat.” The wave nit the captain’s cabin and ripped the top of the boat off.

The boat’s captain was sent overboard that the Nite Owl, a 50-foot vessel, sank in two minutes. One crew member went after the captain while Reynolds and the remaining two crew members spotted a life raft. However, Reynolds was the only fisherman to reach the raft.

He spent the next two hours floating in the Gulf of Mexico until he was rescued by the US Coast Guard. The Coast Guard then went in search of the four missing fishermen overtaken by a rogue wave. But despite scouring over a 5,400-square-mile area with planes, helicopters, and boats, they came up with nothing.

The Coast Guard called the search off on Sunday afternoon, a move that Reynolds was sorry to see. He stated, “I’m just sorry they didn’t find anybody. I wish all the guys would have been in that life raft with me.” The missing fisherman have been identified as Don Windom, Duoc Dan Nguyen, Jamie Esquivel, and Charles Patrick, the fishing vessel’s captain.

The Nite Owl began its fatal journey on Thursday when it left Port Bolivar near Galveston, Texas. The trip was meant to last eight to 12 days. But the boat sank 115 miles southeast of Galveston. Reynolds, a fisherman for 35 years, escaped with minor injuries. But he will be dealing with the loss of his friends for a long time to come.

[Image via ShutterStock]

Share this article: Fishermen Hit By ‘Rogue Wave’ In Gulf of Mexico, Lone Survivor Says
More from Inquisitr