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Young couple suffers mild hypothermia after their 14-foot boat swamps near Maisou Island. Sheriff’s deputies battle 3-foot waves and strong winds during nighttime rescue.
FAIRHAVEN TOWNSHIP, MI — Two 20-year-old duck hunters were rescued from an island in Saginaw Bay on Sunday evening, Nov. 8, after their small boat swamped in rough water, leaving them stranded, wet and exposed to strong winds and cold temperatures.
According to Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson, the emergency began at approximately 6:15 p.m. when Huron Central Dispatch received a call from one of the hunters reporting that their boat had swamped as they attempted to return to shore.
The two hunters, a boyfriend and girlfriend from Allen Park and Southgate, reached the shoreline of Maisou Island in Fairhaven Township. Although both were soaked, they were initially safe on land while waiting for rescuers.
Deputies Battle Strong Winds and Three-Foot Waves
The Huron County Sheriff’s Office, Caseville Fire Department and a Tuscola County sheriff’s deputy responded to the Geiger Road public access site to launch Huron County’s rescue airboat, designated Airboat 152.
Huron County Deputy Ben Willinberg and Tuscola County Sheriff’s Sgt. Justin Nitz boarded the airboat and headed into Saginaw Bay to locate the stranded hunters.
Conditions were difficult. According to Hanson, winds of 20 to 25 mph generated waves reaching about 3 feet near the west side of Maisou Island, where the hunters had taken refuge.
Despite the rough water and limited nighttime visibility, the rescue crew located the couple and brought them aboard the airboat.
Rescuers then transported the hunters safely back to shore.
Hunter Gives Girlfriend His Waders to Help Keep Her Warm
Both hunters were mildly hypothermic by the time rescuers reached them, according to the sheriff.
The male hunter suffered greater exposure after removing his waders and giving them to his girlfriend once they reached the island. The gesture was intended to help keep her warmer while they waited for assistance.
The sheriff’s release did not indicate whether either hunter required additional medical treatment after returning to shore.
The entire incident, from the initial emergency call to the completion of the rescue, lasted approximately 90 minutes.
Swamped Duck Hunting Boat Left Behind in Saginaw Bay
The couple’s 14-foot flat-bottom boat remained partially submerged near the island following the rescue. Authorities couldn’t recover the vessel during the operation because of the conditions.
Hanson said they would salvage the boat later.
Video and photographs accompanying the sheriff’s announcement show the airboat crew removing the hunters from the island. The swamped hunting boat, its lights still illuminated, sits low in the water nearby.
The incident illustrates the risks small-boat hunters can face on Saginaw Bay in late fall, when strong winds, high waves and cold water can quickly turn a routine hunting trip into an emergency. Although both hunters reached land before rescuers arrived, their wet clothing and wind exposure left them vulnerable to hypothermia.
Both were brought to safety following the coordinated response by Huron and Tuscola County authorities and the Caseville Fire Department.
Source: Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson, Nov. 9, 2026, press release. The rescue was also reported by WNEM-TV on Nov. 9.
