A late-night ride on the Detroit River ended with one person dead and another injured after a 37-foot cruiser struck shallow habitat shoals near Celeron Island early today. The boat was nearly out of the water when emergency crews arrived, turning a recreational trip out of Gibraltar into a fatal Downriver emergency.
According to The Detroit News, the Rinker had left Humbug Marina in Gibraltar and grounded at about 2:52 a.m. southeast of Celeron Island. Only two people were aboard: a Brownstown Township resident who died and a Rockwood resident, who owns the boat and was taken to a local hospital.
The crash site is not simply a patch of open water. Celeron Island is part of the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area, and a Michigan DNR report describes habitat work near the island intended to help protect wetlands and shoreline from erosion.
Police Have Not Identified The Driver
Grosse Ile police had not determined who was driving when the boat hit the shoals, and the department has not released either occupant's name pending family notification. The vessel was reportedly about 80% out of the water when emergency personnel reached it, The Detroit News reported.
The fatal crash also comes weeks after another death near Celeron Island. Jesus “Chewy” Sanchez, 30, of Monroe, disappeared during a July 3 storm while kayaking with two friends and was later found dead; WWJ Newsradio reported that the storm produced winds of up to 70 mph and waves reaching 10 to 20 feet.
The Grosse Ile Police Department is continuing to investigate the Sunday crash. No charges or additional details about the circumstances leading up to the impact have been announced.
