Coast Guard rescues 5 on Lake Michigan near Kewaunee, Wisconsin

KEWAUNEE, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

07.17.2025

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Omar Faba 

U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes District

July 17, 2025
Lt. j.g. Nicholas Betts
231-922-8273/[e-mail]

KEWAUNEE, Wis. — The Coast Guard rescued five people on Lake Michigan after receiving a report of their vessel losing its rudder and taking on water near Kewaunee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday.

Sector Lake Michigan received initial notification at 9:31 p.m. from a Good Samaritan nearby the 55-foot vessel in distress with five people aboard. The sector issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched an Air Station Traverse City MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and a Station Sturgeon Bay 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew.

Great Lakes District Command Center personnel collaborated with both crews, providing them updated positions of the vessel to guide them to the scene. The station crew rescued the five individuals from the water as the air station crew provided aerial oversight and support.

The five individuals exhibited symptoms of hypothermia and seasickness, resulting in their transport to Kewaunee Municipal Marina. They were then transferred to local emergency medical services for further evaluation.

“The swift, coordinated response to last night’s boating emergency was a result of countless hours of training to include training with station personnel and assets like Station Sturgeon Bay,” said Lt. j.g. Nicholas Betts, Air Station Traverse City Public Affairs Officer. “Thanks to the cooperative efforts of our crew, the station crew and the command center, we were able to save five lives last night.”

For more information, contact Lt. j.g. Nicholas Betts, Air Station Traverse City Public Affairs Officer, at 231-922-8273 or email [e-mail]

-USCG-

• Date Taken: 07.17.2025
• Date Posted: 07.17.2025 10:25
• Story ID: 543054
• Location: KEWAUNEE, WISCONSIN, US