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
|
|
 |
|
|
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.
|
|