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DNR, Coast Guard rescue hypothermic boaters from Lake St. Clair
September 28, 2026
Following a Saturday morning rescue effort involving Michigan Department of Natural of Resources and U.S. Coast Guard personnel, a father and son were hospitalized for hypothermia after they became stranded in Lake St. Clair offshore of Grosse Pointe (Wayne County).
The two boaters were setting a buoy course for a sailboat race when a line became tangled around their propeller. The father went into the water to untangle the line but was unable to get back into the boat.
Lake St. Clair water temperature Saturday morning was in the low 60s. Air temperatures were in the 50s at the time of the rescue.
At 8:29 a.m., the son called 911 for help. While on the phone with Macomb County dispatchers, the son fell into the water and also was unable to get back into the boat.
Dispatchers from the DNR’s Report All Poaching Hotline helped pinpoint the boaters’ specific location for officers – 3 miles offshore from the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club.
At 9:30 a.m., DNR Conservation Officers Kris Kiel and Brad Silorey safely secured the father on their DNR vessel and immediately provided care for signs of hypothermia. A Coast Guard vessel arrived at the same time, and the crew was able to secure the son aboard the USCG vessel.
The DNR and USCG transported both men to the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, where medics were waiting. Both men were immediately transported to the hospital by ambulance.
“We are thankful that our conservation officers, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and help from our DNR dispatchers, were able to locate this father-son duo and safely return them to shore,” said Chief Brandon Kieft, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Our thoughts are with them and we all are hoping the best for their recovery. We urge all boaters to keep in mind that water temperatures are becoming dangerously cold and to take proper safety precautions when boating during the fall.”
The DNR does not have a status update for the father and son.
Boating safety tips are available on the DNR website.
Michigan conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.
Apply for April academy
Oct. 1-Nov. 3, the DNR will be accepting applications for an April 2027 precertified Conservation Officer Training Academy, which will take place in Lansing. Those interested in learning more about the academy are invited to attend a free, online webinar, Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m.; preregistration is required.
Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.