CLEVELAND — Coast Guard crews across the Great Lakes had a busy Saturday, saving eight lives and assisting 54 while responding to 53 cases.
Some of the rescues include:
Just after 10 a.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, received a report from a pleasure craft, with two people aboard, stating that they were aground against a breakwall in the vicinity of Marquette Lower Harbor in Marquette, Michigan.
They stated they were crashing against the breakwall and were in need of immediate assistance.
Coast Guard Station Marquette responded aboard a 45-foot response boat. Once on scene, they took the pleasure craft in side tow to Cinder Point Marina, where the vessel was safely moored.
There were no reports of any injuries or pollution.
Just before 12:30 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee were notified of a 15-foot boat that was taking on water with two people aboard, about 1 mile off of the St. Joseph, Michigan, pier heads.
Sector Lake Michigan directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station St. Joseph boat crew, aboard a 25-foot response boat.
The boat crew arrived on scene and were able to get the flooding controlled and the distressed boat underway. The Coast Guard crew escorted the boat to the St. Joseph Marina where it was hauled out of the water.
There were no injuries or pollution reported.
At about 3 p.m., while underway, a Coast Guard Station Rochester, New York, boat crew was waved over to assist with a medical evacuation of a passed out, possibly drunk woman from a raft party in Irondequoit Bay.
The Station Rochester crew took the woman aboard the response boat and transferred her ashore to awaiting emergency medical services. She was taken by EMS to Strong Memorial Hospital for observation.
Her current condition is unknown.
Just after 6 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, New York, received a report of four people on the Oswego, New York, breakwall near the West Pierhead Lighthouse, who were unable to make it back to shore because of waves crashing over the breakwall.
Sector Buffalo directed a Coast Guard Station Oswego boat crew to launch aboard a 25-foot response boat. The crew arrived on scene and safely removed all four people from the breakwall and took them to Wright Landing.
There were no reports of any injuries.
Meanwhile, at 6:15 p.m., Sector Buffalo watchstanders were notified of a 17-foot sailboat that had capsized near Gull Island in Sackets Harbor, New York, resulting in two people in the water.
Sector Buffalo directed a Coast Guard Station Sackets Harbor boat crew to launch, aboard a 25-foot response boat, and also issued an urgent marine information broadcast advising mariners of the situation, asking them to keep a sharp lookout, report all sightings to the nearest Coast Guard unit and assist if possible.
Once the response boat crew was on scene, they rescued the two people from the water and took the capsized vessel in a stern tow. The people and the sailboat were returned to shore with no injuries reported and the sailboat was righted by the owner.
There were no reports of pollution.
The Coast Guard reminds mariners to thoroughly check your boat before leaving the dock and to always wear life jackets. They are extremely difficult to put on once you’re in the water. Taking the time to check your boat before getting underway can help detect potential mechanical issues that may cause problems on the water.
