Mistakes were made, stranding four young girls on a small island in Lake Superior. The girls, which ranged from 8 to 14, went paddleboarding on the lake.
But they ended up needing rescued from a Coast Guard helicopter. The four became stranded on Lake Superior on August 16. Their parents called authorities to come rescue them, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. The girls had went paddleboarding to a small island on the lake but lost their paddles.
They had no way to get back.
"The girls were stranded on the small island as it does not connect to the large island," according to officials.
Lake Superior Rescue
Deputies soon made contact with the girls on the island.
"After arriving at the smaller island, they were able to make visual contact with the juveniles and communicate with them to stay put," the sheriff's office said. First responders set up a rope between the two islands to transfer supplies to the girls.
"This allowed rescue members to transfer blankets and food to the juveniles, as they were only wearing swimsuits and concerns were growing of them getting cold," according to the sheriff's office.
The Coast Guard managed to hoist all four girls from a rock on the island. They transported them to first responders nearby to be examined. Lt. j.g. Nicholas Betts, the public affairs officer for Air Station Traverse City, spoke with People about the rescue operation.
"All are well," he says. Fortunately, this story appears to have a happy ending. No tragedies on Lake Superior today. The girls will probably avoid making the same mistake twice.
"This successful rescue highlights the critical importance of interagency coordination and the rapid response capabilities of the U.S. Coast Guard," Lt. j.g. Patrick Grissler, an aircraft commander, said in a statement. "We are grateful for the collaboration with Lake County and are pleased to have safely assisted these individuals."
