Boating accidents on lakes Travis and Austin resulted in fatalities and multiple injuries Sunday but a hair-raising call heard overheard on a police scanner Saturday night resulted in a much happier ending for Canyon Lake boaters.
Around 10 p.m. Saturday the Facebook page Comal County Scanner reported that a boat carrying 16 people but only five life jackets was taking on water between Stagecoach Drive and Kings Point Drive. One of the passengers was pregnant.
Lerrin Johnson, a wildlife public information officer with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) confirmed Sunday that Texas game wardens were contacted by Comal County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) regarding a sinking boat without enough life jackets.
Two game wardens who responded were told by passengers their boat had propulsion issues but was not sinking.
Canyon Lake Fire/EMS’s Marine 53 arrived on the scene and illuminated the area with its spotlight.
Game wardens transported the occupants to Boat Ramp #6. The boat was left anchored in the water overnight and picked up by the registered owner Sunday.
The boat was not a rental.
No citations were issued — there were enough lifejackets onboard for the number of occupants.
A boat and a jet ski collided on Lake Travis Sunday, killing one person and injuring five others.
At Lake Austin, a teenager was missing and as many as six people were injured after a boat ran aground on Sunday.
