Two Michigan duck hunters experienced a frightening ordeal, requiring a dramatic rescue from potentially deadly, cold waters in Saginaw Bay. Yesterday morning, the pair found themselves clinging to a partially submerged 14-foot boat after it was overwhelmed by waves in Wild Fowl Bay, McKinley Township, as reported by WWJ Newsradio. The strong east/southeast winds had taken a toll on their vessel, leaving one hunter attempting a perilous two-mile swim to shore while the other remained with the barely floating boat.
Amidst the emergency, Huron County Central Dispatch received a desperate call from one of the hunters at about 10 a.m., according to abc12. With lives on the line, the Fairhaven Township Fire Department, Caseville Fire Department, and the Huron County Sheriff's deputies promptly gathered forces, bringing formidable rescue equipment, including a large Zodiac boat and a rescue airboat, to the scene. However, before official rescue teams could launch, Fairhaven firefighters had already set out on a private airboat to find the distressed hunters.
Against a backdrop of chilling mid-to-upper 40-degree water, both hunters were ultimately retrieved and brought to safety. Upon reaching the shore, they were met by an awaiting ambulance and immediately evaluated for injuries and exposure. The sheriff's office noted that despite their harrowing ordeal, both men, a 64-year-old from Fenton and a 31-year-old from Kalamazoo, refused further medical treatment, as detailed in a press release by Huron Daily Tribune.
