PORT CLINTON, OH – Two teenagers were pulled from Lake Erie on Sunday by U.S. Border Patrol agents in a dramatic rescue after their personal watercraft was struck by a wave, ejecting them into the water and leaving their vessel disabled in a busy shipping lane.
The rescue — the first since the Sandusky Bay Station Marine Unit began operations four months ago — unfolded near Mouse Island when agents on patrol witnessed the teens’ watercraft overturn and start to sink. The agents quickly maneuvered to the scene, pulling the teens from the water just as two ferries approached their location.
According to the Border Patrol, the teens were only minutes from danger as the ferries transited through the area. After ensuring the teens were safely aboard the patrol boat, agents towed the damaged watercraft out of the shipping channel.
“The kids were in imminent danger, with two ferries bearing down on them and limited time to react,” said Chief Patrol Agent John R. Morris of the Detroit Sector. “Thanks to the swift action of our agents and the recent addition of our patrol boats, a potential tragedy was averted.”
The teens were safely transported to their parents with no injuries reported.
The Sandusky Bay Station’s Marine Unit began patrolling Lake Erie earlier this year as part of a broader mission to enhance maritime safety and border security in the region.
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Key Points
- Two teens were rescued by Border Patrol agents after being ejected from a personal watercraft on Lake Erie
- Their vessel was sinking in a ferry shipping lane near Mouse Island when agents intervened
- The rescue was the first for the Sandusky Bay Station’s new Marine Unit
