CLIPPER LOYALTY DEPARTS; USCG, LAKESHORE TOWING PARTICIPATE IN WATER RESCUE OFF ERIE

Lakeshore Towing's towboats ENDURANCE and TITAN pulled the oil-containment boom from around the CLIPPER LOYALTY at 0830 this morning, and the LOYALTY departed the Mountfort Terminal and Erie at 1030 bound for Quebec City. In addition to the biodiesel taken aboard at Erie, the LOYALTY is loaded with a partial cargo of nonene from Sarnia, Ontario.

At 0915 this morning, a 26-foot Bayliner called Coast Guard Station Erie and reported that they had picked up a swimmer in the water a mile off of Gull Point. At the time, waves on Lake Erie were reported to be cresting at five to seven feet, with an occasional eight foot wave. The swimmer reported that his 20-foot ski boat had capsized and the three other people aboard the vessel were clinging to the overturned wreckage. The four had launched from East Avenue and were out for a day of fishing on a lake not suited for fishing.

Station Erie launched a major search effort with both of the station's vessels, 47241 and 25573, along with Lakeshore Towing's towboat ENDURANCE, that lasted for almost an hour before the two Coast Guard vessels rescued the other three, alive but tired and suffering from various injuries, and transfered them to waiting EMS at Beach 11. Two of the four persons were wearing personal floatation devices, and the other two were not. Two were treated for mild hypothermia, one of the vessel's occupants was treated for diabetic shock, and at least one needed stitches after being hit in the face when a wave knocked the vessel's bimini top off and hit him in the face.

Lakeshore Towing's ENDURANCE took the vessel in tow to Lampe Marina, where it was righted and pumped out before being returned to East Avenue.

This is the third salvage job Lakeshore has performed in the past two weeks. On Monday, July 27 the company's tug DON HENRY, stationed in Conneaut to perform dredging work, put a fire out on a boat that had exploded and injured two people. Yesterday, DON HENRY and barge 401 were pressed into service to salvage a 23-foot Lund fishing boat that ran up onto the Conneaut breakwall while on autopilot, injuring five occupants of the vessel. The excavator on barge 401 was fitted with slings and the vessel was lifted off and carried to the boat launch in Conneaut harbor.

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Towboat TITAN departs after assisting in removing the oil-containment boom around the CLIPPER LOYALTY.


Towboat ENDURANCE exits the channel at a high rate of speed to begin searching for the capsized vessel.


CLIPPER LOYALTY departs the Mountfort Terminal.


Lining up for the channel.


CLIPPER LOYALTY in the channel.


Stern view.


Another view.


Passing 47241. Note the group of onlookers watching the EMS on Beach 11.


25573 returning to Station Erie.