Overview

• Four girls aged 8 to 14 lost their paddles while paddle boarding to a small island off Black Beach on Saturday evening.
• Rough waves forced responders to maintain visual contact from a former Coast Guard vessel operated by Silver Bay Marina and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
• Lake County Rescue deployed a rope relay to send blankets and food to the children, who were dressed only in swimsuits.
• A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Traverse City arrived around 1 a.m. and airlifted the girls to a landing near the Silver Bay Fire Department.
• All four minors were safely returned to their parents and no injuries or ongoing investigations have been reported.