from the chicago tribune below, mac racer overboard, auto vest did not inflate. competitors stop racing to help!
Officials continue to search Lake Michigan after a boater competing in the Chicago Yacht Club’s Race to Mackinac went missing in the water on Saturday afternoon.
Around 2:30 p.m., authorities learned that the 35-year-old man had fallen into the turbulent water, said Petty Officer Brian McCrum of the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The missing man had been wearing a self-inflating life vest, McCrum said, though it was believed it did not inflate.
A multi-agency search including Coast Guard and Chicago police and fire crews was still ongoing more than two hours after the initial call came in, said McCrum.
The Chicago Yacht Club, in a Saturday statement, said the Coast Guard informed it that a man had fallen from one of the boats competing in the race around 3 p.m.
“USCG, Chicago Police Department, and Chicago Fire Department have deployed helicopters and other assets to assist in the search,” the statement read. “Several nearby competitors suspended racing to also assist.”
“At the time of the alert, the sailboat’s location was approximately five nautical miles from the (Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac) starting line, just off the Chicago Harbor breakwall.”
Divers and rescue boats are searching between Navy Pier and 31st Street, Chicago Fire Department Cmdr. Frank Velez.
At a late afternoon press availability at Navy Pier where command staff was set up, Chicago Fire Dept. Deputy District Chief Ron Dornecker said the sun was setting soon, which would make the search more difficult.
Dornecker said they “immediately dispatched’’ a water rescue after getting the call of a person overboard. “We had a helicopter in the air…we had our fast boat and our big boat,’’ Dornecker said.
“Right now we are actively searching,’’ and “a number’’ of civilian boats are assisting, the chief said about 5 p.m.
The conditions are “tough,’’ Dornecker said, adding winds are gusting north about 15 miles an hour and waves are cresting about 6-feet.
The water temperature is about 70 degrees, which Dornecker said was “good “ or “better’’ for the man’s chance of survival.
Dornecker did not know what led up to the incident or if the man was wearing a life preserver.
“Right now we’re fighting light. We’re gonna lose that sunlight soon.’’
Officials continue to search Lake Michigan after a boater competing in the Chicago Yacht Club’s Race to Mackinac went missing in the water on Saturday afternoon.
Around 2:30 p.m., authorities learned that the 35-year-old man had fallen into the turbulent water, said Petty Officer Brian McCrum of the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The missing man had been wearing a self-inflating life vest, McCrum said, though it was believed it did not inflate.
A multi-agency search including Coast Guard and Chicago police and fire crews was still ongoing more than two hours after the initial call came in, said McCrum.
The Chicago Yacht Club, in a Saturday statement, said the Coast Guard informed it that a man had fallen from one of the boats competing in the race around 3 p.m.
“USCG, Chicago Police Department, and Chicago Fire Department have deployed helicopters and other assets to assist in the search,” the statement read. “Several nearby competitors suspended racing to also assist.”
“At the time of the alert, the sailboat’s location was approximately five nautical miles from the (Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac) starting line, just off the Chicago Harbor breakwall.”
Divers and rescue boats are searching between Navy Pier and 31st Street, Chicago Fire Department Cmdr. Frank Velez.
At a late afternoon press availability at Navy Pier where command staff was set up, Chicago Fire Dept. Deputy District Chief Ron Dornecker said the sun was setting soon, which would make the search more difficult.
Dornecker said they “immediately dispatched’’ a water rescue after getting the call of a person overboard. “We had a helicopter in the air…we had our fast boat and our big boat,’’ Dornecker said.
“Right now we are actively searching,’’ and “a number’’ of civilian boats are assisting, the chief said about 5 p.m.
The conditions are “tough,’’ Dornecker said, adding winds are gusting north about 15 miles an hour and waves are cresting about 6-feet.
The water temperature is about 70 degrees, which Dornecker said was “good “ or “better’’ for the man’s chance of survival.
Dornecker did not know what led up to the incident or if the man was wearing a life preserver.
“Right now we’re fighting light. We’re gonna lose that sunlight soon.’’