PORTLAND, NY – The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s office water rescue team was busy Sunday afternoon rescuing four boaters on Lake Erie.
At about 2:49 p.m. the Chautauqua Sheriff’s Office received a report of a boat taking on water about 4.5 miles WNW of Van Buren Point, in the Town of Portland.
The caller, being one of the occupants of the boat, stated that there were four persons on board and had put on their life jackets.
The Sheriff’s patrol located the boat and it was being assisted by another fishing boat that had been in the area. The Sheriff’s patrol was able to put the boat into tow and was able to safely return it to Dunkirk Harbor.
An investigation into the incident revealed that the boat had experienced an electrical failure and upon sorting it out, the occupants found that the boat was taking on water around seals in the back of the boat, near the motor. It was also found the owner and operator of the boat had maintained all of the emergency tools necessary to attract help from the fishing boat. A visual distress flag was flown, two flares were used as well a sounding device that the fishing boat was able to detect from a distance. Further inspection of the boat in distress reveled that all emergency equipment was in compliance and that the operator and occupants were proficient in their use.
The four individuals on the boat were identified as Justin Hallbeck, David Miller, Robert Webster, and Luke Starka, all from Lancaster, NY. No one was harmed in the incident.
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