Date:  Sept. 24, 2009 

Contact: Lt. Zac Ford

Office: (313) 568-9559

 Multiple agencies rescue missing fishermen

TOUSSAINT RIVER, Ohio - The U.S. Coast Guard, federal and several state of Ohio-county response agencies rescued two fishermen who became mssing after their 10-foot john boat capsized in western Lake Erie Wednesday at approximately 9:30 p.m.

An HH-65C rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, a 25-foot small response boat (RB-S) from Coast Guard Station Toledo and a 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement (SPC-LE) from Coast Guard Station Marblehead conducted search efforts that led to the safe location and rescue of the two men.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Marine also launched their 38-foot Safe Boat to assist as well as the Ottawa County Sheriff, Port Clinton Police Department and Carroll Township Fire Department small boats.

One of the fishermen notified the Coast Guard after he drifted to shore with his capsized boat. Once ashore, he located a security guard at Camp Perry and contacted the Coast Guard at 9:24 pm.  The fisherman reported his 10-foot john boat had capsized about a mile offshore just before sunset, approximately two hours earlier. 

His 66-year-old partner had floated away while he attempted to re-right the boat. At approximately 10:15 pm, several hours after the fishermen went in to the water, Carroll Township Fire Department heard the victim’s call for help.  The firemen were able to locate the missing fisherman and pulled him from the cold water. 

They immediately transferred him to Floro’s Marina in Toussaint River and awaiting Emergency Medical Services.  The fisherman was reported to be in good condition at Magruder Hospital.  

 The Coast Guard recommends mariners wear their life jackets while boating. The Coast Guard also recommends:

 • Carry a marine-band radio.  If you are in distress, the Coast Guard can be reached on marine-band channel 16, the distress channel.  A cell phone is a good back-up.  However, a call from a radio on channel 16 can be heard by other boaters and/or relayed if you are out of range of the Coast Guard.  A cell phone call cannot.

 • Get a vessel safety check or take a boating safety course.  For more boating safety information, go to http://www.uscgboating.org/.  

 • File a float plan with family or friends.  A float plan should include your boating location, departure/return destination and estimated time you will be gone.

 Coast Guard Sector Detroit directly oversees all Coast Guard missions on Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie from Alpena, Michigan to Vermillion, Ohio. To report a person in distress or the need for search and rescue or ice rescue you can contact the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit Operations Center 24-hours a day at 313-568-9560.

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