Houston,TX -
It's being called a miracle in the Gulf of Mexico. Three local boaters lost at sea for over a week were found alive drifting on their capsized boat Saturday night.
Prominent car dealer, Eddie Yaklin, who was also fishing on his luxury yacht in the gulf, rescued James Phillips, Curtis Hall, and Tressell Hawkins.
"He's a good guy... He took care of us well, very well," said Hawkins. "We were all crying."
The three friends had embarked on their fishing trip August 21st from the Colorado River off FM 2031 in Matagorda and was found 8 days later about 200 miles off the coast of Port Aransas. Hawkins said the boat had taken in water the first night at sea as the men were sleeping.
"It became a rude awakening," he said. "Once I put my legs down, the water was up to my knee. I tried to wake everybody else up."
He said within seconds, the 23-foot catamaran flipped over and the men jumped ship.
"We were just holding on to each other and tried to collect ourselves," said Hawkins. "We were trying to keep each other calm and tried to grab as much stuff as we could because we knew it was going to be a survival test."
He also said the men survived on crackers and a limited supply of fresh water. There were also stories of hallucinations and efforts to ward of sharks. During that time, their families also experienced their own nightmares.
"it was grueling when they told us they had suspended the search," said Janie Hendrix, James Phillips' aunt. "The wives were devastated. They have children at home, and it was scary."
On Friday, the Coast Guard had called of their weeklong search that spans an area the size of Minnesota. Relatives credit a higher power for the men's discovery the very next day.
"The whole thing is a huge testimony of the power of prayer all over the world," said Tim Hendrix, Phillips' uncle.
"They are in great shape," Janie Hendrix said. "They are a little bit sunburned. Their lips are chapped... They are somewhat dehydrated, but they weren't too dehydrated that the hospital did let them come home."
"He's a good guy... He took care of us well, very well," said Hawkins. "We were all crying."
The three friends had embarked on their fishing trip August 21st from the Colorado River off FM 2031 in Matagorda and was found 8 days later about 200 miles off the coast of Port Aransas. Hawkins said the boat had taken in water the first night at sea as the men were sleeping.
"It became a rude awakening," he said. "Once I put my legs down, the water was up to my knee. I tried to wake everybody else up."
He said within seconds, the 23-foot catamaran flipped over and the men jumped ship.
"We were just holding on to each other and tried to collect ourselves," said Hawkins. "We were trying to keep each other calm and tried to grab as much stuff as we could because we knew it was going to be a survival test."
He also said the men survived on crackers and a limited supply of fresh water. There were also stories of hallucinations and efforts to ward of sharks. During that time, their families also experienced their own nightmares.
"it was grueling when they told us they had suspended the search," said Janie Hendrix, James Phillips' aunt. "The wives were devastated. They have children at home, and it was scary."
On Friday, the Coast Guard had called of their weeklong search that spans an area the size of Minnesota. Relatives credit a higher power for the men's discovery the very next day.
"The whole thing is a huge testimony of the power of prayer all over the world," said Tim Hendrix, Phillips' uncle.
"They are in great shape," Janie Hendrix said. "They are a little bit sunburned. Their lips are chapped... They are somewhat dehydrated, but they weren't too dehydrated that the hospital did let them come home."
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