Coast Guard rescues 4 from stranded boat near Lake Erie island

DETROIT — U.S. Coast Guard crews in Detroit were among those who located and towed a disabled vessel in Lake Erie.

Four people were on board the vessel, which was found 6.5 miles northeast of Kelleys Island, Ohio, around 4 a.m. Thursday.

Crews from Station Marblehead and the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Trenton also assisted.

Marblehead Station launched a 45-foot lifeboat at 4:37 a.m. and located the disabled vessel at 5:10 a.m. before towing it. The vessel was then docked at the Seaway Marina on Kelleys Island.

The boaters, who were not injured, told Coast Guard personnel that they were unfamiliar with the Great Lakes and that the vessel had initially broken down around 6 p.m. the previous night, but that they did not were unable to call for help due to no cell phone reception.

“Thanks to the rapid coordination between our command center, JRCC, and Erie County Dispatch, we were able to launch our RB-M and arrive on scene as quickly and safely as possible,” said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Cory Nussbaum. Helmsman of Marblehead Station.

“Without a marine radio, boaters were at the mercy of their cell phone reception and unable to contact emergency services sooner. »

The Coast Guard reminds the public that the best way to contact help in an emergency on the water is to use channel 16 of a very high frequency marine radio.

The Coast Guard also recommends having more than one form of communication when enjoying water recreation.