Worker rescued after fall off Ambassador Bridge; search suspended for man in Lake Erie
A worker who fell from the Ambassador Bridge was rescued Wednesday afternoon, while another man, who went overboard the evening before in Lake Erie between Ohio and Canada, has still not been found, the U.S. Coast Guard in Detroit said.
"Around 4 p.m., the Coast Guard Detroit received a report from multiple people calling 911," Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Adeeb Ahmad said, adding that no injuries were reported. "Someone fell into the water off the bridge, and there was a boat nearby and they were able to recover the person within minutes."
The worker, a contractor for the bridge company, reportedly plunged about 150 feet — about the height of the Detroit Zoo water tower — into the Detroit River below and was quickly pulled from the water by the J.W. Westcott, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
The CBC, which interviewed the Westcott’s captain, said the man was conscious and talking, but he seemed confused. The force of hitting the water also was strong enough to knock the man’s pants almost completely off, down to his ankles. His shirt and boots, however, remained in place.
"I'm amazed that he survived,” the captain, Sam Buchanan, told the CBC. “He was young and looked quite strong."
The Coast Guard said nearly as soon as the incident was reported, the man was pulled from the water. The Coast Guard did not have information about whether there were worker safety concerns, but said if there were another agency would be investigating that.
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In 2000, nine workers were on the scaffold on the bridge when it collapsed. Three went into the river, four dangled by their safety harnesses for an hour, and two scrambled back onto the bridge. A 27-year-old father of six died. At its midpoint, the 9,200-foot long bridge is 152 feet above the water and the river is 43 feet deep.
The Coast Guard also said Wednesday it was desperately searching for a 21-year old man who, at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, fell overboard while on a 27-foot boat near Bass Islands. He was not wearing a life vest and was likely swept away by the wind and current. The missing man's name was not released.
The Bass Islands are north of Sandusky, Ohio, and south of Pelee Island, Ontario.
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After searching into the next day with other rescue agencies, the Coast Guard said it eventually suspended its search after nearly 24 hours. Several vessels, a helicopter and a plane were involved in the search. Rescue officials said without a life vest — which usually is a bright orange color with reflective material that is easier to spot at night and can help keep a person’s body afloat — hopes diminish that the man will be found.
The Coast Guard repeated its warning to boaters to always wear a life vest because they save lives.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ambassador Bridge worker rescued after fallling, Coast Guard says
