SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. – Two South Haven men are being credited with saving a boater Monday evening.
Police and Emergencies Services personnel were called to the South Haven Municipal Marine about 6:00 p.m. on reports of a man trapped under a boat. When they arrived, the 65-year-old New Mexico man had already been rescued by Terry Norman and David Hoyt, of South Haven.
Officials say that the man had parked his trawler off of South Beach and took his inflatable boat into town to get a bite to eat. While heading in, a larger boat went by, causing waves that caused him to fall from his boat. His foot got tangled in a rope and the boat flipped over on top of him. Norman and Hoyt saw the boat going in circles and noticed the man’s foot and leg hanging from its side. Officials say Hoyt jumped on the boat and gained control of it and steered it to a dock. Norman was then able to get onboard and pull the man from the water.
Officials believe that the man was under water for two or three minutes. He was not wearing a life vest and did not have a “kill cord” attached to him while operating the boat.
No one was injured or needed medical care.
