MILWAUKEE —A rescue crew from Coast Guard Station Milwaukee, along with crews from the Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments, responded to a report of a vessel that crashed into the breakwall of the Milwaukee Harbor late Monday.
There is no Coast Guard imagery, and the names of those involved are not being released by the Coast Guard.
Search and rescue coordinators at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan received a report at about 10:45 p.m. that a boat was seen traveling at a high rate of speed near the breakwall of the Milwaukee Harbor. The reporting source also said they then heard a crash followed by screams.
Rescue coordinators issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and immediately launched a crew aboard a 45-foot rescue boat from Station Milwaukee. The watchstanders also contacted local fire and police marine units.
The rescue crew from Station Milwaukee arrived on scene and found two females in the water near an overturned 18-foot boat in the vicinity of the north entrance of the Milwaukee Harbor. The crew pulled the women out of the water and transported them to shore, where local EMS was waiting to take them to a local hospital. One of the individuals rescued from the water said there were two more passengers who were still missing.
The Coast Guard then launched a helicopter crew from Air Facility Waukegan, Illinois to assist in the search for the two missing individuals.
Divers from the Milwaukee Fire Department arrived on scene and were deployed to begin searching the waters near the wreckage. After a short time, two men were recovered, brought back to shore and transported by EMS to a local hospital.
“While the accident is still under investigation and the causative factors have not yet been determined, we do know that none of the individuals involved were wearing lifejackets. The Coast Guard encourages boaters to wear life jackets at all times when on the water, as statistics prove they save lives,” said Cmdr. Leanne Lusk, chief of response at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan.
Weather at the time of the incident was reported to be calm with light winds and clear visibility. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.
For more information, contact Ens.Thomas Morrell at 414-747-7152