Two die after 17-foot fishing boat overturns in Lake Michigan near Port Washington
Ozaukee County authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people after their boat overturned in Lake Michigan near Port Washington on Monday evening. While one person wearing a life vest was found responsive during the rescue, the other two were later pronounced dead, authorities said.
Around 6:24 p.m. the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office received reports from the U.S. Coast Guard of a 17-foot fishing boat in distress, sinking in Lake Michigan, according to a Tuesday news release from the office.
The Ozaukee County Emergency Management Rescue Boat, Port Washington Fire Department Fire Boat, U.S. Coast Guard from Milwaukee and Sheboygan, and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter responded to the suspected area of the boat’s last coordinates, according to the release.
Rescue boats located three people in the water: one was semi-conscious and breathing, and the other two were unconscious and not breathing. All three were transported to the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.
Lifesaving efforts were conducted by rescue personnel, but the two unconscious victims were later pronounced deceased.
The two victims were identified as a 50-year-old man and 51-year-old woman, both from Illinois. The person who survived the incident is a 26-year-old male from Beloit, who is currently in stable condition.
According to the sheriff's office, the boat, a 2008 Triton, Model 177, faced 2- to 4-foot waves and water temperatures around 53 degrees. The boat was reported to have been taking on water when a wave struck the side, overturning it. It became submerged prior to the rescue and has not yet been located.
The Grafton Fire Department, Saukville Fire Department and Port Washington Police Department also assisted with the incident.
Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Two dead, one injured after boat capsizes in Lake Michigan
