Boating incident claims life of FH man

Authorities have positively identified the man first responders found unresponsive Aug. 4 in Lake Erie near a capsized boat about five miles offshore from Fairport Harbor.

According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources Public Information Officer Eric Heis, the victim has been identified as Paul K. Laszlo, a 65-year-old Fairport Harbor Village resident.

Heis confirmed earlier reports from U.S. Coast Guard Station Fairport that the vessel with which Laszlo is associated was “found capsized on Lake Erie, approximately five miles northeast of Fairport Harbor.”

The incident was first reported by a passer-by around 2:40 p.m. Aug. 4, said USCG Petty Officer

Khristopher Kinzer.

“At (2:38 p.m.) we received a report from a good Samaritan of an overturned vessel about five miles north of Fairport Harbor,” Kinzer said.

He said the Coast Guard’s first responders arrived where Laszlo was spotted at 2:54 p.m. and found him in the water near a 16-foot aluminum-hulled fishingtype vessel equipped with a 9.9-horsepower, tiller-type outboard motor.

Rescuers then got Laszlo aboard the Coast Guard’s responding vessel and began to administer lifesaving measures, according to Kinzer.

“Crew members conducted CPR and first aid en route back to the (Fairport Harbor) Coast Guard station,” Kinzer said, adding that they arrived there at 3:05 p.m. “That’s where Grand River EMS took over and transported the victim to TriPoint (Medical Center in Concord Township), where he was later pronounced dead.”

Kinzer said the victim was not wearing a personal floatation device at the time first responders reached him and that marine conditions were favorable Aug. 4.

At this point, Kinzer said, ODNR is handling the investigation, which is ongoing.

Although the circumstances surrounding Laszlo’s death remain uncertain, Kinzer added that it’s essential for boaters to leave a float plan outlining when they’re leaving shore, where they’ll be going and when they expect to return to shore, with someone on shore. That way, if they’re late coming back, someone can alert emergency responders.