Two Adults and Two Children Saved by Good Samaritan in Milwaukee Harbor

The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued four people after their boat capsized in Milwaukee Harbor early Sunday morning.

Just after 7:30 AM, the watchstander at Station Milwaukee received a mayday call from a good Samaritan, reporting a 14-foot aluminum boat had capsized outside the main gap in Milwaukee Harbor. They reported another good Samaritan had recovered all four, all wearing life jackets, and were taking them to McKinley Marina.

According to Milwaukee Police, the occupants consisted of two men and two girls.

A Station Milwaukee crew aboard a 25-foot response boat launched and the station watchstander contacted Milwaukee 911 Dispatch to request an ambulance meet the good Samaritan vessel at the marina.

"This particular small boat carrying two adults and two children had rough seas for the boat's size, strong wind, and was manned by inexperienced boaters," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joel Washbond, a boatswains mate at Station Milwaukee. "They basically had everything going against them. Even though the worst of the worst happened with them capsizing and going into the water, they were able to be rescued by a nearby good Samaritan due to the fact that they were wearing life-jackets. Without the life-jackets this story would have been much different and could have ended with lives lost."

The Station Milwaukee crew and a Milwaukee Police boat crew arrived on scene and righted the vessel. The Station Milwaukee crew towed the boat to McKinley Marina where it was trailered.

All four people were treated for hypothermia by EMS and released.

When the boat capsized waves were one to two feet with 20 knot gusts, an air temperature of 37° and water temperature less than 50°.