Archive image: A first responder from northern Michigan gets a first-hand look at what it’s like to be hoisted during training at Pellston Regional Airport June 17, 2021.
Local police and firefighters practiced hoisting to the aircraft and learned what to be aware of in case of a mishap.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer John Masson.
MILWAUKEE — Coast Guard crews, along with Ozaukee County Sheriff and Port Washington Fire Department members, rescue three boaters in the water after a mayday call was received from their sinking vessel in Lake Michigan, Monday night.
One person, wearing a life jacket, was rescued in a responsive state and two were found unresponsive. The status of the two unresponsive individuals is unknown.
Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan received the mayday call at 9:15 p.m., on Monday via VHF-FM channel 16.
Sector Lake Michigan issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB), then launched a Station Milwaukee 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) boatcrew and an Air Station Traverse City MH-60T Jayhawk Medium-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew. A Station Sheboygan boatcrew also diverted from a nearby case to assist.
During the search, Station Sheboygan’s RB-M crew located the capsized vessel before locating and recovering one unresponsive person from the water, an Ozaukee County Sheriffs vessel arrived to assist with search efforts and a Good Samaritan heard the distress call and arrived to assist.
The Good Samaritan reported one person in the water yelling for help. A Port Washington Fire Department crew located them and they were rescued by Station Milwaukee’s RB-M crew in a responsive state.
The Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City MH-60T Jayhawk MRR Helicopter aircrew located the final person in the water and they were recovered by Ozaukee County Sheriffs in an unresponsive state.
The responsive person was able to confirm they made the distress call and that there were a total of three people aboard the vessel.
All three were transferred to Port Washington fuel pier to awaiting emergency medical services (EMS) for further transfer to Aurora Medical Center Grafton.
“This all-hands effort highlights the partnership we have with our local partners, with their help we were able to find all three people from the vessel that sank tonight,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kimberly Miller, Station Milwaukee Coxswain. “The one responsive person we rescued was also wearing a life jacket, which was critical in buying us time to find them and pull them out.”
–USCG–
For more Hlcopters Magazine breaking news, stories, images and videos visit hlcopters.com and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
