CLEVELAND — A Coast Guard aircrew rescued three men from an aground boat in Lake Erie near Middle Bass Island, Ohio, at about noon Saturday.
A search-and-rescue controller from the Coast Guard Sector Detroit Command Center was contacted via a VHF-FM marine radio at 9:11 a.m. The caller reported that the boat he was operating ran aground, and he was requesting assistance.
Coast Guard Station Marblehead, Ohio, and a boat from Tow Boat U.S. responded but were unable to assist, due to the shallow water depth. An aircrew aboard an MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter launched from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit at 10:46 a.m. and arrived on scene at 11:10 a.m.
A rescue swimmer was then lowered from the helicopter and the aircrew hoisted all three men into the helicopter and delivered them to the Port Clinton, Ohio, Airport. No medical serves were needed, and the rescued boaters returned to their vehicles at the Midway Marina.
“The Coast Guard promotes proper personal floatation devices and operational survival equipment like VHF-FM marine radios and GPS, as it was critical in this case in notifying and receiving assistance in the distress situation,” said Lt. Tasha Hood, a pilot assigned to Air Station Detroit.
Weather conditions for the rescue were favorable with clear visibility, 10-knot winds from the north and 80-degree temperature.
The owner of the boat will be working with Tow Boat U.S. to salvage the vessel.
