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Injured man rescued from New Buffalo breakwater rocks
By Phil Eichas News Correspondent Sep 6, 2017 Updated 18 hrs ago 0
Rescue Scene
Rescuing the victim of an accident involving the New Buffalo breakwater and a stranded boat on Tuesday, Sept. 5. - photos by Phil Eichas
On the Scene
A Coast Guard vessell (left) arrives at the scene on the New Buffalo breakwater Tuesday, Sept. 5.
NEW BUFFALO — A man was rescued from the New Buffalo breakwater Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 5, after being injured in an incident involving a boat breakdown.


Returning from a trip to St Joe, The Endeavour, owned by Henry and Joni Deleeuw, developed engine trouble. After anchoring the boat, passengers tried to evacuate onto the New Buffalo breakwater, but Mike Swihart ended up caught between the boat and the rocks.


Dustan Gentry of the U.S. Coast Guard said Swihart suffered a broken leg.

Good Samaritan Ron Bissonnette made several trips with passengers and pets in his North Star dinghy. He also got Swihart to the harbor where local police, medics, and Coast Guard personnel got him onto a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance.

Let's talk about safety. This is not in regards to this particular unfortunate event. I think more boaters need to think about what would I do if this were to happen. If could be your boat taking on water, engine failure, stuffing wave in a open bow, fire, and electrical failures. Anything you can imagine can and will happen on the water. Make mental game plans of what you would do in each situation. Some basic rules that I will spit out are don't drive any closer to rocks than you absolutely have to. In the event of engine failure you have no time to drop an anchor. Dont ever leave your vessel unless help is there or it's sunk. A lot of smaller vessels are full of floatation foam and may capsize but they will not sink. At all cost stay with your vessel it is easier to find a capsized boat with men holding on to it or sitting on top of it. Than it is to find a single man out in the middle of no where floating. Most importantly don't panic and think rationally. Be safe everyone we don't need anymore boating accidents resulting in injury or worse.

Be careful out there guys!!