Body found after tugboat capsizes

Image 1 of 2

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit worked with United States Coast Guard to rescue five people after a tugboat overturned on Tuesday morning on the San Jacinto River bridge near Interstate 10 East. The marine unit and Coast Guard were able to find four of the five D&S Marine Service tugboat crew members. The rescue effort then developed into a recovery effort when the body of the fifth tugboat crew member was found.

The marine unit arrived to the bridge at around 9 a.m. Tuesday after the tugboat became submerged in east Harris County. When the marine unit found the body of the fifth tugboat crew member, the HCSO contacted the Coast Guard to assist in the recovery effort.

The Coast Guard will conduct an investigation in order to determine how the tugboat ended up submerged.

D&S Marine Service released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

The Kirby Inland Marine group contacted the Coast Guard at around 8:11 a.m. Tuesday just after the tugboat, Ricky J. Leboeuf, capsized around at around 7:44 a.m. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders launched an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, a Station Houston response boat, coordinated a Harris County Sheriff's Office boat and requested a dive team to assist in the search.