A kayaker endured a harrowing night lost on Lake Erie but was eventually rescued thanks to the unexpected assistance of two local fishermen. According to cleveland.com, the 45-year-old man was reported missing Tuesday night after setting out from Merwin’s Wharf on the Cuyahoga River. Despite an extensive search operation that included local law enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard, it wasn't until the following morning that the fisherman was found more than 3 miles offshore.
Clutching to nothing more than a bucket to stay afloat, the kayaker, named by FOX8 News as James Manning, was pulled from the chilly waters Wednesday morning. The search was initially prompted when Manning’s girlfriend hadn't received responses to her text messages and discovered his vehicle, with keys still inside, at Merwin’s Wharf. Police used phone pings and search teams to scour the area, but despite the efforts, Manning remained unseen until the two fishermen, Larry Smith and Charles Steven from Bedford, heard his cries for help on the lake.
Details from Cleveland19 News outline the duo’s efforts. They first saw an arm rise above the water from a distance. Upon getting closer, they realized the severity of the situation. "This time when we see it we see an arm come up out of the water, and then the arm goes back into the water," Smith described. As Steven piloted the boat, Smith helped haul the exhausted Manning aboard.
Astonishingly, Manning wore only shorts and had no life jacket despite the long hours spent treading water after his kayak sank. After the rescue, he declined transportation to a hospital and instead asked to use a phone to inform his partner he was okay. As for the fishermen, they recognized the fortuitous timing of their fishing trip, with Smith advising the grateful kayaker, "He needs to thank God, not us." as stated by Cleveland19 News, Manning appeared alert and maintained clarity of the situation around him despite his ordeal, his only visible ailments were bloodshot, glassy eyes, and swollen, wrinkled hands.
