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Girl dies after being thrown from airboat near Rockport, officials say

Texas Game Wardens responded to St. Charles Bay boat ramp in the afternoon hours of Dec. 27 for reports of the girl being thrown from the airboat in Vinson Slough.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A juvenile girl died on Dec. 27 on San Jose Island in an airboat accident, San Patricio County Game Warden Public Information Officer Lerrin Johnson confirmed to 3NEWS. 

Johnson said Texas Game Wardens responded to St. Charles Bay boat ramp in the afternoon hours of Dec. 27 for reports of the girl being thrown from the airboat in Vinson Slough. Several good Samaritan boats helped bring the girl and her family to the boat ramp where EMS met them. She was taken to a Rockport emergency room where she was pronounced dead, Johnson said.

"As of right now, the cause has not been determined," Johnson said. "We look at, you know, totality of everything. And then, we're working with Coast Guard because it was a licensed guide. So therefore, they take the lead on any of these investigations when it comes to licensed or credentialed individuals."

Texas Parks and Wildlife along with the Coast Guard are looking into the incident to see if a criminal investigation is warranted. That is standard procedure in these cases.

"All of our sympathy goes out to the family of the victim," Johnson said. "You know everyone’s been cooperative and helpful. They want to see the situation dealt with right."

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