Boater towed to awaiting officers
A man in an aluminum fishing boat was rescued from Lake Ontario Monday afternoon as he floated past the lighthouse in Port Dalhousie.
St. Catharines Fire and Emergency Services, Niagara Regional Police and Niagara Emergency Medical Services responded to a call about the man at 2:40 p.m.
Responding to Lighthouse Road, firefighters set up for the rescue near St. Catharines Yacht Club, from where they launched their boat.
Witnesses including ice fishermen, passersby on the pier and people at the yacht club said they saw the man slowly making his way down the harbour channel with what looked like only one oar. Some witnesses attempted to help but were rebuked by the man. The boat eventually rounded the corner by the lighthouse and started heading east toward Sunset Beach.
Firefighters eventually caught up to him when he got caught in ice.
After freeing the man from the ice, firefighters towed him back to the boat launch where uniformed police officers and a tactical unit were waiting, due to concerns about the man’s mental state. The man was safely rescued and taken by police to St. Catharines hospital, said NRP Insp. Shawn Dowd.
Following the incident, firefighters almost had to call for help when their fire truck got stuck on the icy boat launch. They were able to dig out the ice and snow around the back tires and move the truck to safety. No one was injured in the incident.