The mission proved to be much more arduous than expected for her and her small crew of four, all of whom are first tour aviators.

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard are sharing powerful stories from recent flood rescues in Central Texas. One rescuer recalled spotting a young girl in the back of a rescue vehicle, tears streaming down her face.

An urgent alert was issued, and a Coast Guard helicopter and 45-foot response boat were deployed to search for the missing boat, the release said. After arriving at the search area, the Coast Guard boat crew spotted a flare burning in the distance - it was the missing vessel, officials say.