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Coast Guard Rescues Shrimpers of Texas Coast

Aired July 16, 2003 - 10:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now a bit more on the dramatic rescue at sea that we saw in Ed's report there. The Coast Guard received a May Day call just before dawn yesterday as Claudette turned toward the coast. By the time the Coast Guard rescue team arrived, the ship was gone and the men were being tossed about by pounding seas and howling winds.
Joining us on the phone right now with a first-hand account of the rescue is Lieutenant Junior Grade Brian Kostecki. Lieutenant, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

J.G. BRIAN KOSTECKI, U.S. COAST GUARD: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: Please tell us what happened that led you to the rescue of these two shrimpers.

KOSTECKI: Well as you saw, we took the call at about 5:52 in the morning our time here. And the report was that there had been a May Day call received on the emergency frequency and we had a report of two red flares being passed. So I gathered our crew of four together and we took a close look at the weather to know what we were getting ourselves into. And we took off on our helicopter and headed out on sea.

KAGAN: So when you spotted them, what did you see?

KOSTECKI: Well, the first thing that clued us in that there was a sign of distress was the sheen diesel fuel in the water from the sunken shrimp boat.

KAGAN: And so that's what led you to them. And how much of the boat was left by the time you got there?

KOSTECKI: By the time we got there, there was only a tiny bit that would still emerge in the surface. But it was -- it went down all the way while we were on scene.

KAGAN: And so you hover over the shrimpers with the helicopter. It looks so dramatic. Is this kind of just a day at work for you guys or is this pretty dangerous stuff?

KOSTECKI: Well, it's not dangerous because we're well-trained for what we do. We've got a great crew. I couldn't have done it without my co-pilot and the flight mechanic and especially the rescue swimmer, Claude Morrisey (ph). He did an outstanding job. And there was no danger there as far as our crew proficiency. It was unusual, the weather conditions. We don't go out in a hurricane all the time. But it's what we train for and it went like clock work.

KAGAN: And do you know how they're doing two, the two shrimpers that you rescued?

KOSTECKI: I saw that they were treated and released yesterday pretty quickly. And I'm sure they're doing fine. I have seen interviews with them. They look to be doing great.

KAGAN: With all due respect to the great work that you and your crew did, do you ever stop and think what these guys were thinking by being out there in the first place? You had to have your head in a paper bag to not know that it was bad weather and they shouldn't be out there.

KOSTECKI: Well it does seem that they may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But just the same they did do everything once they got into trouble to get themselves saved. They got their May Day call off before they lost power, they got two red flares up, their emergency position beacon was picked up by the satellite. And most of all they saved their own lives by wearing life jackets and having nice bright orange life jackets with lights and reflective tape on them. It really helped us to spot them in the water.

KAGAN: Making your job just a little bit easier. But kudos to you and your Coast Guard crew.

KOSTECKI: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thanks for coming and telling us you story, Lieutenant Junior Grade Brian Kostecki.

Well, a humble man there. Oh, yes, just a day at work...

(CROSSTALK)

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Nice to know we got guys like that out there.

KAGAN: Absolutely.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired July 16, 2003 - 10:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now a bit more on the dramatic rescue at sea that we saw in Ed's report there. The Coast Guard received a May Day call just before dawn yesterday as Claudette turned toward the coast. By the time the Coast Guard rescue team arrived, the ship was gone and the men were being tossed about by pounding seas and howling winds.
Joining us on the phone right now with a first-hand account of the rescue is Lieutenant Junior Grade Brian Kostecki. Lieutenant, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

J.G. BRIAN KOSTECKI, U.S. COAST GUARD: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: Please tell us what happened that led you to the rescue of these two shrimpers.

KOSTECKI: Well as you saw, we took the call at about 5:52 in the morning our time here. And the report was that there had been a May Day call received on the emergency frequency and we had a report of two red flares being passed. So I gathered our crew of four together and we took a close look at the weather to know what we were getting ourselves into. And we took off on our helicopter and headed out on sea.

KAGAN: So when you spotted them, what did you see?

KOSTECKI: Well, the first thing that clued us in that there was a sign of distress was the sheen diesel fuel in the water from the sunken shrimp boat.

KAGAN: And so that's what led you to them. And how much of the boat was left by the time you got there?

KOSTECKI: By the time we got there, there was only a tiny bit that would still emerge in the surface. But it was -- it went down all the way while we were on scene.

KAGAN: And so you hover over the shrimpers with the helicopter. It looks so dramatic. Is this kind of just a day at work for you guys or is this pretty dangerous stuff?

KOSTECKI: Well, it's not dangerous because we're well-trained for what we do. We've got a great crew. I couldn't have done it without my co-pilot and the flight mechanic and especially the rescue swimmer, Claude Morrisey (ph). He did an outstanding job. And there was no danger there as far as our crew proficiency. It was unusual, the weather conditions. We don't go out in a hurricane all the time. But it's what we train for and it went like clock work.

KAGAN: And do you know how they're doing two, the two shrimpers that you rescued?

KOSTECKI: I saw that they were treated and released yesterday pretty quickly. And I'm sure they're doing fine. I have seen interviews with them. They look to be doing great.

KAGAN: With all due respect to the great work that you and your crew did, do you ever stop and think what these guys were thinking by being out there in the first place? You had to have your head in a paper bag to not know that it was bad weather and they shouldn't be out there.

KOSTECKI: Well it does seem that they may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But just the same they did do everything once they got into trouble to get themselves saved. They got their May Day call off before they lost power, they got two red flares up, their emergency position beacon was picked up by the satellite. And most of all they saved their own lives by wearing life jackets and having nice bright orange life jackets with lights and reflective tape on them. It really helped us to spot them in the water.

KAGAN: Making your job just a little bit easier. But kudos to you and your Coast Guard crew.

KOSTECKI: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thanks for coming and telling us you story, Lieutenant Junior Grade Brian Kostecki.

Well, a humble man there. Oh, yes, just a day at work...

(CROSSTALK)

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Nice to know we got guys like that out there.

KAGAN: Absolutely.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com