(MARATHON ON) -On Sunday July 27, 2014 at approximately 3:50pm, Officers from the Marathon detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call regarding a sailboat that had capsized at the east end of Peninsula Harbour on Lake Superior.
The caller and a passenger were sitting on the hull of the over turned boat wearing personal floatation devices (PFD). With the strong off shore winds, the boat continued to drift out into Lake Superior. A local resident, Doug BRUCE, launched his sailboat to assist in the rescue as well as Keith MCCUAIG and the local OPP. The OPP boat located BRUCE returning slowly with the two occupants and took them onboard returning them to shore where they were met by the local EMS. The over turned sailboat was retrieved by MCCUAIG and secured to the docking area in the harbour.
The two occupants were treated for cold exposure and later released from hospital.
The OPP can not express enough the importance of having on board and wearing PFD’s when out on any waterways. Having some type of communication on board is also very vital as well as all the required safety equipment. For information on what safety equipment is required on your boat visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca