Coast Guard rescues 2 in Gulf after boat sinks

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two Louisiana men Saturday after their boat began sinking in the Gulf of Mexico, some 125 miles southeast of Galveston, a Coast Guard spokeswoman said.

Karl Shram, whose age was not immediately available, and Chris Bergeron, 61, called a private company that monitors satellite distress calls, saying that their 42-foot boat was sinking rapidly and they intended to swim to the nearest oil rig, Petty Officer Jennifer Nease said.

The private International Emergency Response Coordination Center relayed the distress message to the Coast Guard at about 10:30 a.m., Nease said.

A Coast Guard cutter, helicopter and search plane were looking for the men when family members reached them by satellite phone, obtained their location and gave it to rescuers, Nease said.

She said the men stayed with the boat and were bailing water.