Nine people in two separate water incidents were rescued in Michigan.
The first incident happened about 4 p.m. on Sept. 6.
Deputies from the Huron County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the offshore area west of Sleeper State Park to rescue four males on an inflatable dingy.
The dingy was under-inflated and was quickly being blown offshore by gusty southerly winds, Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson said.
The four men were located more than two and a half miles offshore in three to 4-foot waves.
The men were taken aboard the patrol boat and taken to shore.
The second incident happened about 9 p.m.
Five kayakers had left Turnip Rock in the dark and were heading into southerly winds gusting more than 35 miles an hour, Hanson said.
Deputies were able to locate the kayakers about 10:15 p.m. north of the Port Austin breakwall.
The family of five, from Taylor, included a 6-year-old, a 10-year-old, and a 14-year-old, Hanson said, adding the children were all on tied together kayaks trying to make it in.
“The younger children were very cold, as everyone was dressed in swim gear and tired. A one person kayak was even occupied by a parent and child. Fortunately all had life jackets,” Hanson said.
The family was taken aboard a patrol boat and returned to shore.
“Apparently it was their first trip out there and they decided to stay out late to get some sunset pictures,” Hanson said.
The sheriff’s office will confer with the prosecutor’s office to discuss charges.
“Fortunately it didn’t happen in this case but literally things could have went south real fast for the family given the wind and time of day,” Hanson said.