Two boaters safe thanks to marine radio, Coast Guard rescue after vessel takes on water in Lake Erie

HURON, Ohio - Two sailors and their boat have been towed safely back to shore thanks to a marine radio, after the boat began taking on water in Lake Erie two miles northeast of the city of Huron early Friday morning.

The Coast Guard received a call from a VHF marine radio and launched a rescue crew just after 4:30 a.m. according to a Coast Guard official.

The crew searched for 20 minutes to find the sailboat because its navigation lights went out as water came on board.

After the boat was located, one Coast Guard officer went on board to help the sailors and another began pumping water from the boat.

“By the time we arrived on scene, the boaters were beginning to panic and were understandably scared, but my crew quickly took control of the situation and calmed the boaters down,” Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyle Love said.

The Coast Guard kept the pump running and towed the boat back to shore near Huron.

A Coast Guard official said both boaters were wearing their life jackets and had a VHF marine radio, which allowed them to get help.