GROSSE ILE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Coast Guardsmen rescued three adults and one child from a small island south of Grosse Ile Township on Friday.
The names of the rescued individuals are not being released. Employees of the Coast Guard Sector Detroit command center received a call from local 911 dispatch at 6:30 p.m. regarding four kayakers stranded on an island in the mouth of the Detroit River who were not able to get back to their launch point, Lake Erie Metropark.
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The command center issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a rescue crew from Coast Guard Station Belle Isle and an aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit.
Command center personnel also set up a communications schedule directly with the stranded individuals.
Those stranded on the island included a husband and wife, 5-year-old girl and family friend.
The husband indicated they had a survival kit with a light that he would flash once the Coast Guard was on the scene.
The individuals also provided a pin drop on Google Maps to an individual at Station Belle Isle that provided an accurate location. They lit a bonfire to stay warm and to draw attention to their exact location.
They had been stranded since 3 p.m.
When the rescue crew from Station Belle Isle arrived on the scene about 7 p.m., it was determined that the water around the island was too shallow for the rescue boat.
About 7:15 p.m., the aircrew arrived on the scene and lowered a rescue swimmer to assess the situation and the kayakers.
All four people were then hoisted into the helicopter and taken to Gross Ile Municipal Airport by 8 p.m.
Everyone was treated by EMS and released. The girl was suffering from mild hypothermia.
There are dangers associated with kayaking in cold weather and on cold water.
“While the individuals in this case were fortunate and were prepared with a survival kit and cell phones, kayaking in this environment can be extremely dangerous," said Lt. Justin Bommer, public affairs officer for Sector Detroit. “The air temperature was around 40 degrees and the water temperature about 34 degrees. Hypothermia can set in quickly, especially in small children.”