Contact: Ninth Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office
(216) 902-6020
| Ninth District External Affairs U.S. Coast Guard |
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| News Release |
Date: Aug. 12, 2009 Contact: Petty Officer |
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Coast Guard Auxiliary rescues two near Chicago CLEVELAND - The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary rescued two teenage boys, Tuesday, from a capsized catamaran approximately one mile from the Wilmette Sailing Beach in Chicago at approximately 5 p.m. After approximately 15 minutes of searching in limited visibility, the crew of the Auxiliary vessel spotted the two teenagers holding onto the hull of their overturned vessel. Both were wearing life jackets. "The look on their faces seeing us come out of the fog will be remembered by all of us," said Rick Polad, the coxswain of the Auxiliary vessel. "We got about 15 feet away from them and they were able to swim over to us and we got them onboard." The two boys were transported to Station Wilmette Harbor and their vessel was towed back to the Wilmette Sailing Beach. No injuries were reported. At approximately 4:36 p.m., Coast Guard Station Wilmette Harbor received a report of an overdue catamaran from the Wilmette Sailing Beach. The station launched their 25-foot small response boat and a 25-foot Auxiliary crewed vessel. "The level of training that we go through at Wilmette is what enabled our crew to work together so well." said Polad. The Coast Guard requires all recreational boats to carry one wearable PFD (Type I, II, III or Type V PFD) for each person aboard. Any boat 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable PFD (Type IV PFD). The law states you must have a PFD on board, but the Coast Guard recommends you wear your PFD at all times when boating. It is much more difficult to locate, access or don a PFD at the moment the accident occurs. Additional information on life jackets (PFDs), can be found at http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/fedreqs/equ_pfd.htm For more information contact the Ninth District Public Affairs Office at (216)-902-6020.
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