Man killed after boat overturns in ship channel near Port Neches

Published 1:48 pm Friday, April 24, 2020

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A man was killed Friday when his boat overturned in the ship channel near Port Neches.

The Jefferson County Marine Unit responded to the area after receiving an overturned boat alert at 7:38 a.m. Friday.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit launched a search helicopter, which located the overturned boat. A crew from a tugboat helped pull the men from the overturned boat.

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The 41-foot supply boat was transporting supplies to a ship when it encountered a wake from a passing boat, causing the starboard side to take on water and possibly causing the weight of the cargo to shift.

One of the rescued men was non-responsive.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, he was taken to the Port Neches Park boat ramp and brought by Acadian EMS to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

His name will not be released at this time pending notification of next of kin, authorities said.