Kayaker treads water for 11 hours before being rescued by fishermen

By Drew Scofield

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    CLEVELAND, Ohio (WEWS) — Fishermen rescued a 42-year-old kayaker in Lake Erie on Wednesday morning after he didn’t return to shore the previous evening.

A U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue team was launched when the kayaker became overdue for his return.

According to a Cleveland Metroparks police report, on Tuesday evening, the man paddled towards the Cleveland Water Crib, but his kayak started taking on water and sank. The man tried to swim back to shore but could not due to the lake’s currents.

News 5’s overnight photographer captured part of the Coast Guard’s search— a 5-mile track from the Cleveland Harbor’s main entrance to Edgewater Marina, Whiskey Island, Wendy Park and more.

They’re out there pretty far so this video isn’t great but here’s a look from Lakewood.

The Coast Guard said the man was not wearing a personal floatation device but managed to tread water for 11 hours until he was rescued.

Authorities said the man was pulled out of the water by fishermen on a boat who spotted him about five miles from shore and three miles west of the crib.

The kayaker was treated by EMS but declined to be transported to the hospital for further medical care.

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