CLEVELAND – A U.S. Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Michigan City, Ind., rescued two men after their vessel allided with a breakwall in Lake Michigan near Burns Harbor, Ind., at about 4 a.m., Central Daylight Time.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee received a distress call from the vessel on VHF-FM radio channel 16 at about 3:15 a.m., CDT.
The two men were not wearing life jackets.
The Michigan City boatcrew transported both men to Portage Municipal Marina aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small. The vessel’s owner was transported by ambulance to Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso, Ind., and reportedly suffered injuries to his arms, ribs and legs. The passenger’s injuries are unknown at this time, but he was reportedly transported by helicopter to Christ Hospital in Chicago.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
It is reported that the operator purchased the boat Tuesday.
Although the owner/operator’s prior experience level is unknown, the Coast Guard urges all boaters to take boating safety courses each year before going out onto the water. Many boating safety courses are offered throughout the country for all types of recreational boaters and for boaters of all ages. Qualified volunteer organizations, such as the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron, and state boating agencies sponsor many courses and provide classes. Many of the courses are free.
Click here for a resource to help you find boating safety courses put on by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Click here for help in finding other boating safety course resources, including those offered by state boating agencies.
