The Coast Guard has launched a search for a 73-year-old man who entered Lake Erie’s waters after a vessel overturned near Conneaut, Ohio, on Aug. 12.
The search began after Coast Guard Sector Eastern Great Lakes watch standers received notification of the 22-foot overturned vessel at around 10:50 a.m. on Wednesday. Three people had entered the water some 9 miles offshore, according to the service.
A good Samaritan rescued two of the boaters who were uninjured and wearing life jackets. But one, who was not wearing a life jacket according to the local Fox 8 in Cleveland, remained missing.
Authorities have not named any of the individuals on the vessel.
In addition to the Coast Guard using a helicopter and response boat in its search, crews from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Conneaut Fire Department, and the Ashtabula County Dive team have also contributed toward rescue efforts.
Authorities initially stopped the search for the man in Lake Erie on Wednesday night, but said they would return on Thursday morning to continue looking for him, per Fox 8.
The USCG has advised anyone with information about the missing individual to contact Coast Guard Sector Eastern Great Lakes at (714) 843-9527.
Coast Guard Rescue Missions
An average of 21 people go missing and drown in Lake Erie every year, according to tracking data aggregated by law firm Towey Law PLLC, which recorded 251 total drowning and missing incidents over the last 12 years.
As of August 2026, there have been nine confirmed drownings and two people currently missing, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP).
The search for the latest missing individual follows other recent USCG rescue missions—some successful, and others not.
On Tuesday, USCG suspended a 10-day search after a vessel with nine people on board went missing in the Hall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).
The search involved numerous partners and covered 250,000 square nautical miles and more than 31 search patterns.
In July, the Coast Guard suspended a search and rescue mission three days after a boat capsized in San Francisco, leaving one person dead and another three missing.
“Suspending a search is one of the hardest parts of the job and our condolences are with the families of all involved,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Captain Jarod Toczko in a statement at the time.
But the USCG has also seen recent successes.
In July, the Coast Guard rescued a man after he was seen sinking in a catamaran in Hawaii. The man was evaluated by medical staff, which found he had no medical concerns.
The boat sunk with some 30 to 40 gallons of diesel fuel, two batteries, and 3 to 4 gallons of oil aboard.
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