MI Firefighters Rescue Two from Sinking Boat in Lake Michigan

Sept. 2, 2020

Muskegon and Norton Shore firefighters saved two people who were clinging to the railing as their 20-foot boat was sinking into the waters of Lake Michigan.

By John Agar

Source MLive.com, Walker, Mich.

Muskegon, MI, and North Shore firefighters rescued two people who were clinging to the railing as their 20-foot boat sank into Lake Michigan on Monday.

MUSKEGON, MI—Firefighters rescued two people who were clinging to the railing of their sinking boat in Lake Michigan.

Muskegon firefighters responded just before 9:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 1, to a report of a boat taking on water south of the Muskegon channel. As firefighters responded, dispatchers lost contact with the caller but were able to “ping” the cellphone for its GPS coordinates, Muskegon Professional Firefighters Union said on their Facebook page.

As it turned out, the boat was five to six miles from shore, within Norton Shores’ coverage area. Muskegon firefighters, using a Muskegon County sheriff’s boat, responded to the scene with a North Muskegon Fire Department boat. Norton Shores firefighters also responded.

Firefighters found two people in the water, holding onto the railing, as the 20-foot boat was sinking. Both of the victims were immediately evaluated by rescuers with one of them taken to shore for medical treatment.

Norton Shores firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard stabilized the boat so that it was not an environmental hazard.

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