Life jackets save boaters in Sabine River Sunday

Life jackets helped save four adults and two children the evening of Easter Sunday when their boat capsized after taking on water in the Sabine River by Pavell Island.

The U.S. Coast Guard's Houston-Galveston region issued a press release saying a rescue boat from the Sabine station picked the family up after being notified by the Orange County Sheriff's Office of a 9-1-1 call.

The call to the sheriff's office came at 7:54 p.m. Sheriff's Chief Deputy Mark Dubois said deputies also launched a sheriff's rescue boat after notifying the Coast Guard. The deputies arrived at the same time as the Coast Guard.

The National Weather Service reports sunset that day was at 7:33, 21 minutes before the rescue call. The temperature was 73 degrees in Orange at the time.

Pavell Island is within curve of the Sabine River on the eastern side and near the Cove area. Chief Dubois said the boat had been trying a short cut and hit debris, making a hole in the hull.

The Coast Guard sent a 29-foot rapid response boat to the scene and when rescuers arrived, the found all six wearing life preservers with the boat capsized.

The crew took the rescued people to emergency services waiting on shore to check them out for any medical problems.