Man dies after boat capsizes on Lake Erie behind village hall

A man has died after a small boat capsized on Lake Erie in Eastlake.

Another male who was in the boat has been released from the hospital after suffering minor injuries, said Carey Santiana, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The incident, which occurred behind Lakeline Village Hall on Lakeshore Boulevard, was reported shortly before 1:30 p.m. May 27.

One of the men was transported “in grave condition” to LakeHealth Medical Center in Willoughby via the Eastlake rescue squad, which started advanced cardiac life support on the victim, Eastlake Battalion Fire Chief Bob Lloyd said.

“A Lakeline resident heard someone yelling for help and called 911,” Lloyd said.

Firefighters arrived at the scene within one minute.

“We found a conscious person in the water holding onto a breakwall,” the battalion chief said. “We saw another individual floating face down about 50 yards to the east. Our divers entered the water, and the victim was removed (within seven minutes).”

The names, ages and hometowns of the victims were not immediately available. It was not yet known if the boaters had on life vests.

The conscious man was taken to LakeHealth Medical Center by the Willoughby Fire Department.

ODNR is handling the investigation. Nobody has been cited or charged with wrongdoing, Santiana said.

Officials from Willowick Fre, Wickliffe Fire U.S. Coast Guard Station Fairport and the Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol also assisted. In addition, Kirtland firefighters covered the Eastlake Fire Station.

Lloyd called the rescue an extraordinary team effort under very difficult circumstances.

“Access was difficult,” he said. “We had to carry the victims up very steep steps behind Village Hall. There was also rough terrain and waves. It was a dangerous situation for our firefighters. They put themselves in a precarious situation.”

The body of the deceased victim is now in the custody of the Lake County Coroner. Due to the fact that the office is closed for the long holiday weekend, his name may not be released until next week, a coroner’s office employee said.

The boat remains in the water. The surviving victim is responsible for taking it out of the water in the near future, Santiana said