(GEORGIAN BAY TOWNSHIP, ON) – Members of the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to call from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) of an overdue sail boat on Georgian Bay at 7:06 p.m. July 1, 2015. The sailboat left a cottage on Band Island around 3:15 p.m. with four occupants. When the sailboat did not return at the expected 6:00 p.m. time, the family called JRCC who advised the OPP of the search.
The Hercules helicopter was called in to assist in the search. The four occupants were located at 11:15 p.m. on Pine Island where they had taken shelter in a cottage after swimming safely to shore. Their safety can be attributed to the fact that they were all wearing their personal floatation devices (PFD). The OPP marine unit transported the four parties back to their cottage on Band Island.
The OPP would like to remind everyone that wearing your personal floatation devices can save lives in an unexpected mishap.