Boblo Island ferry crew teams up with Coast Guard to rescue man from Detroit River
Two alert crew members from the Boblo Island Ferry are being credited with pulling a man from the icy Detroit River in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Deckhand Vinny Allen and Captain Kevin Nashkewa were at the dock on Dalhousie Street just after midnight when they heard someone in the water, according to Gena Boschin, sales and marketing director for Bob-Lo Island developments.
"They heard some cries for help out in the water near the mainland dock ... they rushed to his aid," she explained. "I believe they threw out a life ring and helped bring him in to shore. Obviously, he was struggling."
The Canadian Coast Guard was on scene shortly after the rescue and helped provide first aid, said spokesperson Carol Launderville, who stressed the man was lucky to have been pulled out so close to the Coast Guard base.
"It was very fast. We figure this man was in the water for approximately 10 minutes," she added. "We want to stress that the water is very cold this time of year. Hypothermia can set in very quickly."
Fire officials tweeted the man was conscious when he was transported to hospital by EMS.
Boschin described the rescue as a "courageous thing to do" and said it highlights the hard work and professionalism of the ferry crew.
"They've got a tough job and they do it tremendously, so when things like this happen, which is very rare, you really want to give thanks where it's due and be grateful for them."
