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| MH-60 Jayhawk, ©USCG (archive) |
CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for an overdue fisherman on Lake Michigan near Kewaunee, Wisconsin, Thursday.
Missing is Mark Wautelet, in his 60s, approximately 6-feet tall, 270 pounds with brownish hair.
Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan received a notification from Kewaunee Dispatch at approximately 11:15 p.m. local, Wednesday, of a 35-foot pleasure craft with one person on board who had departed Kewaunee Marina at 5 p.m., local, on Wednesday and was expected back by 9:30 p.m., local.
Last known cellular use was at 5:30 p.m., local.
Air Station Traverse City launched a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and arrived on scene at 1:50 a.m., local, and located the vessel beached on shore with no persons onboard. Kewaunee Sheriff's Department responded and confirmed there were no people on board and that the vessel was rigged for fishing and the engines were still in the clutched ahead position.
Due to heavy fog on the west side of Lake Michigan, the MH-60 was not able to land to refuel. The MH-60 departed the area at approximately 3:20 a.m., local, to refuel at Traverse City, Michigan.
Once the fog lifts, an MH-60 from Air Facility Waukegan is scheduled to arrive on scene at approximately 9 a.m., local, to continue searching.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
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