A coordinated cross-border rescue on Lake Erie safely brought a mother and her two children back to shore after they drifted about 10 miles offshore on a paddleboard last week.
The rescue began at 7:14 p.m. Thursday when the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit was called in to help search for the missing family off Long Beach, Ontario.
The Sheriff’s Air 1 helicopter used wind patterns to guide a grid search and spotted the family just 16 minutes after sunset.
Once the family was located, the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Cape Mercy, based in Port Dover, responded to the scene and safely brought all three back to land.
The rescue involved several agencies working together, including the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Niagara Regional Police, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Officials praised the quick coordination between Canadian and American emergency responders, saying the successful outcome highlighted the importance of cross-border partnerships on the Great Lakes.
No injuries were reported, and the family was safely reunited after the dramatic evening rescue.
Written by Jeremy Hall
