SAGINAW BAY -- A boatcrew from the U.S. Coast Guard rescued three men from a sinking boat on the Saginaw Bay Wednesday.
“All we heard over the radio was, ‘Mayday! We're sinking!’” said Ed Hines with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Essexville Station.
A 65-year-old, 67-year-old, and 73-year-old needed help. Waves measuring 3-4 feet had overcome their 17-foot fishing boat three miles off the shore of Linwood.
It took just over 20 minute for the U.S. Coast Guard to travel almost ten miles, find them, and rescue them.
“It feels pretty good,” said Hines. “It is pretty much a thankless job.”
Hines says most of the time the Coast Guard is enforcing the laws of the lakes, making sure safety regulations are followed. Often boaters are not appreciative. He says this is evidence that the work the Coast Guard does to increase awareness of safety on the lakes is worthwhile.
The men got helped because they had a radio and a cell phone on board to call for help. Both were used to locate them.
They also all had life jackets. Those lifejackets would have proven life-saving had it take the boatcrew just minutes longer.
All of the men escaped uninjured.
The only thing they may have done wrong, is not check the weather to make sure conditions wouldn’t be to harsh for their boat.
The Coast Guard says all boaters should check the weather before heading out, and know their vessel’s limitations.
