Three anglers rescued off of Kelleys Island waters in Lake Erie

Kelleys Island, Ohio — Three Lake Erie anglers were rescued after their boat capsized and they fell into the lake just off of Kelleys Island, authorities said.

According to reporting by Fox 8 WJW Television in Cleveland, one of the men even treaded water for hours before he was rescued.

Kelleys Island Police Chief James Bartus told the TV station that it is a “miracle” that all three survived the harrowing experience.

The men, who are relatives, were on the lake fishing on May 19 when a storm blew up and capsized their 17-foot aluminum boat. An 81-year-old man and 78-year-old man clung to the boat, but a 65-year old man floated away from the vessel, the TV news channel reported. The three men had already been in the water for several hours before witnesses spotted them and called for help around 6:30 p.m.

First responders from Kelleys Island first arrived on the scene and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office notified the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The Coast Guard immediately launched a rescue vessel out of its port in Marblehead to the island.

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Two of the men were located immediately and rescued. The Coast Guard also deployed a rescue helicopter, which eventually located the third man and rescued him as well.

Bartus, the island police chief, said the third man had been treading water for hours, clinging to a seat cushion from the capsized boat, WJW reports.

All three men were rushed to an area hospital, suffering from hypothermia and shock, the police chief told the TV outlet.

The men were not from the area, but fish off of Kelleys Island every year, reporting indicates. There was no more information shared on their hometowns.