U.S. Coast Guards are reflecting on a rescue mission in Lakeshore, Ont. on Tuesday that rescued two Canadians off of Lake St. Clair.
U.S. Aircraft Commander Lt. Cristina Silva and Co-pilot Lt. Connor Riley were among two of the first four responders inside the helicopter that successfully saved two people trapped on the ice.
“It’s a significant day for myself personally,” said Riley, adding it was his first rescue in his career.
“It was cool to get out there and have a good outcome.”
Lakeshore OPP got the call around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with a report that two men and a four-wheeler were stuck far from shore after the ice cracked and drifted off.
The U.S. Coast Guard airlifted the two to the Windsor airport for EMS to check for injuries, but no injuries were sustained.
“We’re asking another country to come into Canada to save a Canadian,” said Peter Berry, harbour master with the Windsor Port Authority.
“It kind of feeds the narrative that’s happening across the border, we’re not staffed. We’re not resourced to do the level of ice rescue, especially for people taking their vehicle out there.”
Berry said it costs around $1,000 per hour for a helicopter and that cost is up to the residents.
“Going out there, finding them, recovering them, taking them to the airport, that’s a huge cost,” he said.
“That cost went to the taxpayers of the U.S., not to Canada. We’re costing another country and we shouldn’t be doing that.”
If the ATV ends up submerged in the water, Berry said the driver of the vehicle gets fined.
“One of the Port Authority operating regulations, it’s a $500 fine, and you could be subject up to $30,000 of which is applied to your federal tax account,” Berry said.
“That liability is very high, and we can also put orders to you to actually go ahead and recover it through a licensed company. You’re going to pay a large fee for a barge and divers and others to get your vehicles.”
Berry reminded the public that ice is not safe this time of year.
“It’s moving, it’s breaking up. And remember, someone else is going to put their lives at risk to try to save you because you made a bad decision and that’s not fair,” he said.
