KVOA

Posted: Nov 24, 2009 4:22 PM
Updated: Nov 24, 2009 8:13 PM

NUECES BAY - A 65 year old fisherman is on dry ground after spending the night inside his boat on the Nueces Bay.

Tom Hannaman was found safe and sound early this morning.

However, his rescue could've happened a lot sooner if he brought a couple of important tools with him.

A family member reported Tom Hannaman missing around 7:00 p.m. Monday.

He never returned home from a fishing trip.

The Coast Guard searched Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays that night, but found nothing.

Tuesday morning, he was spotted just 500 yards from the Nueces Bay Bait Stand.

His motor died and he was slowly drifting ashore.

Witnesses say another boat helped pull Hannaman's 20 foot boat ashore.

Eric Lopez said, "We saw the U.S. Coast Guard come through, they threw a line down but by the time they got to him there was already another boat dragging him in."

A representative with the Coast Guard Auxiliary says if that fisherman would've had a couple of safety tools like a distress flag or flares, it's likely he would've been rescued a lot sooner.

Charles Dekle said, "If he had a flare, I guarantee you he wouldn't have spent the night out there last night."

Dekle stops by the Bait Stand once a month to talk to fishermen about boating safety.

He also performs safety checks.

Required items on board include things like life jackets, fire extinguishers, distress flags and flares.

Dekle said, "I've been down here for the last couple of weeks and out of 20 some boats only two passed with the flares and all the required items on the boat."

The game warden cited Hannaman for not having distress flags and flares on board his boat.

So, he may have left wet, tired and with a ticket, but at least he didn't have an empty stomach.

A fellow fisherman gave the guy a couple of tacos before he went home.

Lopez said, "It looked like he would probably be hungry if he was here the whole day before, so we gave him the leftovers we had."

Corpus Christi Police, Harbor Police and Marina Security also helped search for the missing fisherman.

No injuries were reported.