CHICAGO — The Coast Guard rescued 12 people Monday from a sinking boat near the Chicago Locks at approximately 2 a.m.
The people attracted the Coast Guard’s attention by waving their arms.
A Coast Guard Station Chicago 25-foot response boat was searching for a missing person in a separate case, when they noticed the distressed boaters on a sinking 30-foot pleasure craft near the Chicago Locks.
“The Coast Guard transferred all 12 people just minutes before the boat sunk,” said Lt. Matthew Walter, a Ninth Coast Guard District command center controller.
The 12 people were in recovered in good condition and taken to a local Chicago pier.
While waving arms is one of many signs of distress, the Coast Guard recommends all boaters have a sound producing and/or signaling device at all times when boating. These will assist you when you are in distress and will assist responders with locating a distress boater. For more boating safety information, go to http://www.uscgboating.org/.
