A Detroit man owes his life to the Cramahe Fire Department after a dramatic rescue on Lake Ontario on Friday, February 7, 2019.
Two surfers from Detroit who were staying at a Bed and Breakfast south of Colborne, in Cramahe Township headed out onto Lake Ontario around 3 p.m.
One of the surfers told Ontario Provincial Police ice chunks made to to thick to go out onto the lake, but the other did – unfortunately.
Assistant Chief of the Cramahe Township Fire Department, Jim Magee said when fire crews arrived on scene they started searching the shoreline for any sign of the missing man.
“We let firefighters walk along the shore to see if we could find the patient.”
People from the Bed and Breakfast, along with the man’s friend, Northumberland OPP and a CC-130 Hercules aircraft from 424 Search and Rescue Squadron were also searching the shoreline.
The victim was difficult to spot because he was being smashed against the ice shelf by the waves.
Hearing the man’s cries for help, the victim was located, but the challenge was rescuing him from the relentless pounding of the ice and waves against the ice shelf.
A couple were inside their lakefront home when they first noticed people on their property looking for any sign of the person in the water.
At times from the 20-foot embankment the couple could see the victim struggling in the water.
“His arms were flailing, but there was no way he could get out,” said the homeowner who asked not to be named.
Rescuers used a ladder from the residence which was lowered over the ice shelf and into the lake. But the man was to weak from fighting to stay alive. He was also starting to suffer from hypothermia.
“Once the firefighters put the ladder in, he managed to have enough strength to hang onto the ladder as four fighters pulled the ladder up, and over the ice,” said Assistant Chief Andrew Harper.
“He was very weak.”
The man was wearing a dry suit, but Harper said he spent a considerable time in the water and “the ice was beating him up. He had several hits to the head.”
“It was impossible for him to get out where he was trapped.”
Once he was brought to shore, emergency workers could see the man’s face was covered in blood.
“It was a dangerous rescue for rescuers because you don’t know how safe the icebergs are to stand on,” said Magee.
“They could have collapsed and the water was splashing up on top of the firefighters and the patient.”
The victim was apparently on Lake Ontario surfsailing when he got knocked off his board and thrown into shore against the ice.
Both Assistant Chief’s said it’s doubtful the man would have survived much longer in the water..
Northumberland County Paramedics rushed the victim to hospital, but there is no word on his condition.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
