Port emergency workers save Wauwatosa man after he falls overboard in marina

Port Washington rescue crews had to fish a 61-year-old Wauwatosa man out of Lake Michigan after he fell from his boat and couldn’t get out of the water.

Witnesses told police they heard the man fall as he was trying to tie the bow line of his boat about 5:45 p.m. Oct. 23 and called 911, according to authorities.

Officers found the man struggling in the water near a sailboat docked south of the launch ramps.

Officers could not pull him out, so they held on to the man and used flotation devices to keep his head above water until the Port Washington Fire Department divers arrived.

Divers helped lift the man from the water, police said. He was then taken by the Port Washington ambulance to the hospital for treatment.

According to witnesses, the man’s boat struck a pier while navigating through the marina and preparing to dock, police said.

The witnesses saw him dock and tie the stern line of his boat, then heard the splash as he hit the water while trying to tie his bow line.

The Department of Natural Resources, which assisted the police department in investigating the incident, cited the man for operating a motor boat while under the influence of intoxicants.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed