Coast Guard rescues sailboater after vessel loses power in Lake Michigan

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a boater on Saturday from Lake Michigan after the sailboat lost power and capsized near Green Island, just south of the U.S.-Canada border. 

Watchstanders from the Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan received the mayday call via VHF-FM Channel 16 at about 6:08 p.m., the Coast Guard said. The boater reported high winds and was concerned that the 28-foot sailboat would capsize. 

Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay sent its 45-foot response boat to the area and issued an urgent marine information broadcast due to the boater's inability to anchor and difficulty maintaining communication. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City also responded with an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. 

The marine rescue crew and helicopter crew both arrived at the boater's location at about 8 p.m. 

The boater was able to right the vessel before it ran aground on a sandbar, the Coast Guard said. Shallow water prevented the rescue boat from reaching him. The helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer to assist the man and hoist him aboard the helicopter. 

The boater was then taken ashore, and emergency medics met him at Menominee Regional Airport in Menominee, Michigan, which is just north of the Wisconsin state line. 

"This rescue reflects the coordination and professionalism of our Coast Guard crews and watchstanders," said Gregory Grubbs, Command Duty Officer of the Coast Guard Great Lakes District Command Center.  

"As conditions on the Great Lakes become increasingly unpredictable this time of year, we remind boaters to check weather forecasts before getting underway, ensure their vessels and safety equipment are in working order, and always have a reliable means of communicating in an emergency." 

Coast Guard crews did not notice any water pollution from the grounded sailboat.