CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard is searching Lake Erie this morning for a Rome, Ohio, man who was reported missing near Ashtabula.
Missing is Brad Ulman, 30.
Coast Guard Station Ashtabula received notification from a 911 dispatch that Ulman had failed to re-surface after diving into the water from a 26-foot vessel, attempting to assist others climb aboard.
Coast Guard crews aboard two rescue boats from Station Ashtabula and an HH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Detroit are searching for the missing man.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources and local fire department personnel are also participating in the search.
According to the reporting source, Ulman was not wearing a personal flotation device, or lifejacket.
The Coast Guard reminds everyone that all recreational boats must carry one wearable personal flotation device (Type I, II, III or Type V PFD) for each person aboard. Any boat 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable PFD (Type IV PFD). The law states boaters must have a PFD onboard, but the Coast Guard recommends boaters wear their PFDs at all times when boating. It is much more difficult to locate, access or don a PFD at the moment an accident occurs.
Additional information on PFDs can be found at http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/fedreqs/equ_pfd.htm.
