Beach Patrol Responds to Drowning Incident

The Galveston Island Beach Patrol responded to a possible drowning incident at approximately 3:21am on 9-9-12 at 32nd and sand. The Galveston Island Beach Patrol, Galveston Police Department, Galveston Fire Department, Galveston EMS, and US Coast Guard searched for the victim, a 49 year old year-old female from Houston for over two hours.  

The victim’s body was discovered in the rocks of the 37th street jetty at 10:48am by a tourist family.  

Involved parties reported that they had been at a bar/restaurant on the seawall. When it closed they moved to 32nd and sand to go swimming. Two of the people came to shore at different times, leaving two in the water. They were in about waist deep water when they realized they had drifted to the 33rd street jetty and could no longer touch. They tried to swim to shore but were unable to make it. One of them was able to climb onto the jetty but lost sight of the victim during the process.

The Beach Patrol’s investigation led to the conclusion that the most likely scenario is that the east to west lateral current carried the two people into a rip current on the east side of the 33rd street jetty. The victim may have drowned as a result of fighting the rip current and drifted around the jetty to become caught in the rocks on the east side of 37th street.

Reportedly, all four of the involved people had been drinking.