Texas kite surfer rescued while clinging to wooden debris off Gulf Coast

A kite surfer was rescued off the Texas Gulf Coast on Saturday afternoon after he got stranded without a life jacket, according to the Coast Guard. 

Someone called 911 shortly after noon to report a man holding on to a piece of wood in the water near Galveston Bay. 

Two Coast Guard rescue boats were dispatched to the scene and pulled the man out of the water before transporting him to fire department personnel for treatment. 

“Everyone should utilize a life jacket regardless of the activities you have planned on the water,” Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeff Wideman said in a statement. 

“Life jackets provide flotation and high visibility, making it easier for search and rescue crews to locate you in the water.”

Pictures released by the Coast Guard show the man aboard the rescue vessel with his kite surfing equipment. No one was injured.