Coast Guard rescues ill crewman from Lake vessel near Isle Royale

ISLE ROYALE,  MI (AP) - The U.S. Coast Guard says one of its helicopters rescued up a sick crewmember from a freighter in Lake Superior near Isle Royale.

The Coast Guard says a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from its Traverse City station made the rescue Tuesday afternoon from the Sam Laud, a 634-foot bulk freighter.

Watchstanders ar Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., received notification of the ill crewmember aboard the motor vessel Sam Laud from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario, at about 1 p.m., EDT.

“It was determined that a U.S. Coast Guard crew was best suited to respond,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Wilcox, a search and rescue controller with Sector Sault Ste. Marie. “This is the kind of case that shows how well we work with our Canadian counterparts; it’s a partnership that enables us to get help to people in trouble on the Great Lakes as fast as we can.”

The Coast Guard says the helicopter took the ill crew member to emergency medical personnel, who transported him to Portage Health hospital in Hancock. There’s no word on his condition.