Miracle on Lake Erie

MONROE, Mich - It's being called a miracle on the lake.

Four Michigan fishermen missing since Thursday were found late Friday afternoon clinging onto their 19-foot boat in Canadian waters, roughly 24 hours after capsizing in western Lake Erie.

Petty Officer Brandon Blackwell said Monroe County marine deputies spotted the men about 5:45 p.m. Friday offshore from Middle Island, which lies in Canadian waters between Erie County's Kelleys Island and Canada's Pelee Island.

Douglas Whittaker, 76, of Eaton Rapids; Larry Vert, 64, of Lansing; Ron Miller, 63, of Eaton Rapids; and Roy Letson, 52, of Charlotte, were receiving medical attention Friday evening, Blackwell said. All four of them showed signs of hypothermia and shock, the Coast Guard said.

Petty Officer Blackwell said the fishermen were holding on to their capsized 19-foot boat, which had left Sterling State Park in Monroe at 8 a.m. Thursday. All four boaters were wearing life jackets when their boat capsized, but three of them were wearing life jackets when rescued.

"This was a successful effort working with local, state, federal and Canadian agencies to complete this mission," Blackwell said from the Coast Guard Ninth District office in Cleveland.

Joe Schumaker, Monroe County Sheriff aviation officer, said that when he spotted the missing men, he first thought it was a bird. A helicopter crew searched about 18 miles away from where the fisherman disembarked from Sterling State Park.

The Monroe County crew searched Thursday evening and into the overnight hours with an infrared camera with no luck. But they picked up the search Friday. Schumaker tracked the winds and basically got lucky.

"There's just so many needles in the haystack out there to look for and until we were able to finally get a definite spot, were we able to zero in on it. It's frustrating. This is probably one of the best rescues going on here in our history."

The men were receiving medical attention at Mercy Memorial Hospital in Monroe. There is no word on their conditions.

It's not exactly clear where the fishermen capsized, but county sheriff deputies were told that a wave came over their boat and tipped it. There were reported 3-5-foot swells overnight.

The U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District Station in Cleveland said the search area covered the entire western basin of Lake Erie.

The four overdue boaters had filed a float plan, leaving information with family indicating when they were departing, where they were going and when they were expecting to be back in port.

"These boaters had done the right thing by filing a float plan," said Lt. Wade Hedinger, Coast Guard Sector Detroit. "The men also stayed with their vessel, which aided in locating them."
 

(FOX Toledo's Shaun Hegarty, The Associated Press and the US Coast Guard Ninth District media relations contributed to this report)

 

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From earlier reports of the on-going search for the boaters

The U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard and search and rescue teams from Ohio and Michigan continue to search Lake Erie for four fishermen whose 19-foot boat set sail from Sterling State Park in Monroe County about 8 a.m. Thursday.

There has been no contact with the Central Michigan boaters since noon Thursday. A family member notified the Coast Guard around 10 p.m. Thursday when the men didn't return home.

The Canadian coast guard is being assisted by coast guard crews from Detroit, Toledo and Marblehead.

The wife of one of the fishermen told the Coast Guard she talked to her husband-the boat's owner-by cell phone around noon Thursday and nothing seemed to be amiss.

She said life jackets and a global positioning system were aboard their light-gray fishing boat with a blue stripe.

The boaters, Douglas Whittaker, Roy Letson, Larry Vert and Ron Miller, are between the ages of 52 and 75, according to Irma Whittaker, the wife of boat-owner Ron.

“Ron is an avid boater and very mechanical,” said Whittaker, “If there was trouble with the engine, Ron would be able to tackle that. They also had life jackets and a GPS on board.”

Whittaker last contacted her husband by cell phone at approximately noon Thursday. There were no signs of distress. A family member notified the Coast Guard about 10 Thursday night when the men didnt' return home.

The Monroe County Sheriff's office left a note on their vehicle, asking them to contact the office if they make it back to shore.

“The first helicopter crew searched through the night for approximately eight hours, having to refuel twice,” said Petty Officer Natasha Brooks, watchstander at Air Station Detroit. “A second helicopter crew has relieved the first and is now searching.”

“We have used all of our assets in this search,” said Seaman Bradley Stebbings, watchstander at Coast Guard Station Toldeo.

Michigan State Park Ranger Alan Wolfe said boaters disappear from time to time, but sometimes they're found on an island.

Park Ranger Wolfe stressed safety when boating in Lake Erie or any body of water.

"You got to have your