GALVESTON, Texas -- A helicopter with three people on board crashed offshore near Jamaica Beach in Galveston on Monday night, the Coast Guard said.
Two men were rescued, but one man died in the crash. At last check, the victims were still in the hospital at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, DPS said that the deceased passenger has been identified by the medical examiner as 58-year-old Warren Roy Moore of Deerpark.
Moore was the father of 2 young military men, one in the Navy and one in the Army. He was the grandfather of four.
Moore's family released photos of him.
The family said he worked with SGS for 30 years and had planned to retire very soon.
"He'd go out to these ships and take his samples as far as everything until the work is done then he would go out with the crew he'd go fishing off the deck," said his son, Warren Ray Moore.
According to the Coast Guard, officials lost communication with the helicopter around 7 p.m. as it crashed about 2.5 miles in the West Bay offshore from Jamaica Beach.
The Coast Guard said it was a private helicopter based out of Santa Fe with a pilot and two passengers on board.
The Houston Chronicle reports the chopper, operated by Republic Helicopters, was being used to transport workers to and from an oil tanker in the Gulf.
Republic described Monday night's incident as a water landing. According to its website, it has no prior reported incidents or safety issues.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Moore's family with the funeral expenses. Click here to read more.