(HURON COUNTY) – The Huron County Sheriff Department’s Marine Patrol boat assisted two stranded boaters Friday afternoon, two and a half miles offshore from Caseville.
According to the Sheriff Department, the rescue boat was called around 1:30 p.m. Friday to a report of an 18-foot boat taking on water.
The two out-state boaters, a 65-year old California man and a 34-year old North Carolina man reported their engine had overheated.
It was discovered the boat’s exhaust system had a small fire after failing and the boat was taking on water.
The pair told deputies the vessel’s bilge pump was able to keep water pumped out until help arrived.
According to authorities, the boat was towed back to shore and no injuries were reported.
Also in Huron County, a day of fishing turned into near tragedy for fishermen in Lake Huron Sunday morning.
The Huron County Sheriff Department responded to a boat in distress around 12:30 p.m. when a 16′ aluminum boat containing three individuals with no life jackets, was being blown out into the open portion of Lake Huron in the county’s northeast side.
Deputies responded with the departments’ 31′ patrol boat based out of Port Austin, battling waves of four to six feet, caused by a southwest wind gusting up to 30 mph.
The group of fishermen were located three miles offshore of Huron City in Huron Township. A 55 year old Garden City man, a 29 year old Roseville man and a 31 year old Wayne man were given life jackets and brought aboard the patrol boat in the rough water.
With their boat in tow, they were taken to safe harbor in Grindstone.
The three men were ticketed for not having lifejackets available to them in their boat.
