Monday, August 24, 2015

SUICIDE BY DROWNING: Coast Guard suspends search for man overboard from motor vessel Stewart J. Cort, a U.S.-flagged freighter owned by the Interlake Steamship Company in Lake Michigan








MILWAUKEE — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a man who reportedly jumped overboard from a freighter near Big Sable Point in Lake Michigan early Sunday morning.




 August 23rd, 2015  

Just before 2 a.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan received a report, via Rescue 21 on VHF-FM Ch. 16, from the motor vessel Stewart J. Cort, a 989-foot, U.S.-flagged freighter owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, that they had a man overboard approximately 3-4 miles offshore of Big Sable Point. Crew members witnessed the man climb over the rail and jump from the vessel. The crew members immediately deployed three life rings and notified the navigation bridge. The vessel turned and began a systematic search for the man. Due to conditions at the time and the impending weather forecast, the decision was made not to deploy the vessel’s small workboat. The motor vessels Samuel D. Champlain, Joyce L. Van Encevort and Vikingbank were also in the area also began to assist with the search.

Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan launched a crew from Coast Guard Station Manistee, Michigan, aboard a 45-foot response boat and a crews from Coast Guard Air Facility Muskegon, Michigan, and Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Michigan, aboard Dolphin helicopters. The Coast Guard completed a total of 11 different searches covering 76 square nautical miles. Additionally, multiple commercial vessels in the area participated in the search efforts.

Forecasted weather for the search area include a small-craft advisory in effect from 8 a.m., EDT this Sunday through Monday evening with 20-25 knot winds veering west to 30 knots. Showers and thunderstorms are likely until midday and waves range from 3-5 feet.



M/V Stewart J. Cort
M/V Stewart J. Cort
Carrying Capacity:
58,000 Gross Tons
Overall Length:
1000.0'
Beam:
105.0'
Year Built:
1972
Official Number:
532272
Hull Depth:
49.0'
Engine Horsepower:
14,400
M/V Stewart J. Cort was the first 1000-foot vessel on the Great Lakes when she entered service for Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1972. Her bow and stern sections, built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, were joined together and called "Stubby" for the trip to the Great Lakes. At Erie Marine, Erie, Pennsylvania, "Stubby" was cut apart and joined with the midbody built there.  The Cort is the only 1000-footer with pilot house forward. All crew accommodations are also forward. Her self-unloading system's shuttle boom is contained within the after cabin structure. Interlake Leasing III secured the bareboat charter of the Cort in 2005.