Coast Guard rescues three from boat taking on water off Vermillion

 

Even with Lake Erie's water temperatures only in the mid-50s, boaters are still ever eager to enjoy a day afloat.

Consequences and risks are plenty, as seen today when the Coast Guard rescued three persons from a boat taking on water off Vermillion

The names and hometowns of the rescued are not being released, the Coast Guard .

 

At about noon today, a Coast Guard personnel with the service's nearby Lorain station received a call that a 19-foot boat carrying three people was taking on water north of Vermillion in Lake Erie.

All three people were wearing life jackets, the Coast Guard reported.

 

A rescue boat-crew launched from the station "dewatered" the recreational boat and towed it to the Vermillion public boat launch.

At the boat launch, the rescue crew conducted a post-rescue boarding, finding no violations.

The rescue crew determined the vessel was taking on water as a result of a crack in the transom.

 

There were no reports of injuries or pollution.

 

“One of the most important things to do before getting back on the water for the first time in spring is to thoroughly inspect your boat inside and out and make sure the boat itself and its equipment are working properly,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Spencer Braid, officer-of-the-day at Station Lorain.

“By inspecting equipment such as life jackets and cleaning out the bilge pump, you can decrease unnecessary risks while enjoying the natural beauty of the water.”

 

The Coast Guard wishes to remind boaters that water temperatures in Lake Erie are still cold enough to cause hypothermia.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net