CLEVELAND – A rescue boatcrew from U.S Coast Guard Station Erie, Pa., rescued two men in Presque Isle Bay, Monday evening.
Rescued were two men, ages 21 and 22. Their names are not being released.
Both were wearing life jackets.
The communications watchstander at Station Erie received notification from local 911 dispatch at about 8:15 p.m., of a capsized sailboat. Local 911 was called by a good Samaritan, alerting them that the men’s sailboat had capsized and taken on water, preventing them from righting the vessel.
The boatcrew was already underway in the area aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small and found the capsized vessel and two men in the water. Both individuals were brought aboard the RB-S. The boatcrew transported them to Marina Lake Public Dock in Presque Isle State Park, where they were met by Emergency Medical Services.
A marine band radio is the best way to contact the Coast Guard or marine response agencies if you are in distress on the water. When a mayday is sent out via VHF-FM radio it is a broadcast, not just a one-to-one communication as when made via phone. When mariners ask for help on a marine radio, any nearby boaters can hear the distress call and offer immediate assistance. Channel 16 is the international distress frequency and should be used for emergencies only.
