CLEVELAND — Four people and two dogs were rescued from the waters of Lake Erie near Ashtabula Saturday after a mayday call, with help from the U.S. Coast Guard and a few good Samaritans.
The Coast Guard said its Sector Eastern Great Lakes post received a distress signal from a 2022 sport-craft boat that had begun taking on water near Ashtabula. Four people and two dogs were on board wearing personal flotation devices.
The unit lost communication with the boat and Coast Guard's Ashtabula station became involved. Three uninvolved civilian boats diverted to help the distressed boat. Coast Guard personnel helped pull three of the people and both dogs off the boat.
The captain stayed on board the boat and the good Samaritans helped the captain stabilize the boat. The Coast Guard safely escorted the boat to Ashtabula Harbor after it stopped taking on water.