10 rescued after boat sinks in Grand Traverse Bay

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 10 people Friday from Grand Traverse Bay after their boat sank, plunging them into the water.

In a news release, the Coast Guard said its command center in Sault Ste. Marie received a distress call about 2:30 p.m. from a 30-foot vessel that was taking on water. The command center dispatched a 45-foot rescue boat and a helicopter.

A crew arrived 20 minutes later and began transferring passengers from the distressed boat to a Good Samaritan vessel.

As the crew was transferring passengers, the distressed boat began to sink rapidly, forcing everyone into the water. A Coast Guard rescue swimmer rescued 10 people with the help of the Good Samaritan, who transported them to shore.

The vessel went under in about 250-feet of water.

The Coast Guard said there were no signs of pollution from the sunken boat, which had a gasoline capacity of 75 gallons.

“As the boating season begins, it is important to ensure your vessel is ready to safely get underway,” said Commander Amy Florentino, deputy sector commander. “Conduct a check of your boat, make sure you have the proper safety gear including life jackets, and ensure you have an operable VHF radio.

"In this case, the mariner was able to use a VHF radio to communicate to us that they needed help, which allowed the Coast Guard and other boaters to get on scene quickly.”