The search for Nathan Lowery a 17-year-old who went missing during a rafting incident near the Texas City Dike has intensified as authorities and volunteers work tirelessly to locate him. The teenager was last seen on Saturday morning June 27, 2026, when the inflatable raft he was on with his younger brother began to take on water.
The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when the brothers launched their raft into Galveston Bay from a point about three miles out on the five-mile-long dike. According to Texas City Emergency Management Coordinator Joe Tumbleson the brothers either jumped from or fell off the raft and became separated in the water. The younger brother was rescued by the Texas City Fire Department’s Marine Unit and was found to be physically unharmed.
The search effort and transition to recovery
The search involved a coordinated effort from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast GuardTexas City Fire DepartmentGalveston Police Marine DivisionTexas Parks and Wildlife game wardens and volunteers from Texas EquuSearch. The operation transitioned from a search and rescue mission to a recovery effort after a Coast Guard flight crew located the unmanned raft about 15 miles north of the dike in Trinity Bay near Baytown at around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday.
As of Saturday evening, Lowery had not been found. Most agencies suspended active operations on Saturday evening, with recovery efforts scheduled to resume at first light on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
The community’s response and how to help
The Lowery family has released photos of Nathan in hopes of aiding the search. The teenager was last seen wearing a royal blue t-shirt and dark gray shorts. Anyone with information about Lowery’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Texas City Police Department at (409) 948-2525 or Texas EquuSearch at (281) 309-9500.
The community has rallied behind the search efforts, with volunteers and local agencies working together to bring Nathan home safely. The situation remains critical, and the collective hope is that Nathan will be found soon.
