UPDATE: Authorities recover third body of missing boaters
UPDATE — Tuesday, October 4, 2016 3:00 p.m. EDT
The last of the three missing boaters has been recovered from Lake Superior.
43-year old Steven Chartre was recovered using a remotely operated vehicle in 280 feet of water near the sunken boat in Keweenaw Bay.
Investigators are currently unable to determine what caused the boat to sink. Northwestern Michigan College and Michigan Tech assisted on the scene with the Houghton County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police Calumet Post, and Mercy Ambulance.
UPDATE — Sunday, October 2, 2016 10:00 a.m. EDT
The bodies of the three missing fisherman who have been missing since September 17th have been located by authorities.
Using sonar equipment from two non-profit organizations, Bruce’s Legacy from Black River Falls, WI and Crossman Consulting of Duluth, MN, the sunken boat was found Saturday at 12:45 p.m. The bodies of 61-year-old Keith Karvonen of Atlantic Mine and 9-year-old Ethan Chartre of Ishpeming were located and recovered from Lake Superior.
The body of 43-year-old Keith Chartre of Ishpeming has been located. Additional resources are en route to recover him.
On September 17th, the trio boarded Karvonen’s 14-foot boat to do some fishing. They were reported missing later that night.
UPDATE — Saturday, October 1, 2016 9:35 p.m. EDT
Recovery efforts are underway in the Copper Country in the search for three missing boaters and their boat.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard in Sault Ste. Marie, members of the Michigan State Police are conducting what’s being called a ‘Recovery Operation’ in the Keweenaw Bay.
Three people: 61 year–old Keith Karvonen of Atlantic Mine, 43-year–old Steven Chartre and his nine–year–old son, Ethan, both of Ishpeming, never returned from a fishing trip on Saturday, September 17th. Karvonen is the owner of the 14-foot boat.
The U.S. Coast Guard searched over 14,000 square miles before calling off their search efforts on September 21st.
We will continue to provide more information as it becomes available.
UPDATE — Wednesday, September 21, 2016 3:51 p.m. EDT
The U.S. Coast Guard ended its active search Wednesday afternoon for two adults and one child who went missing in Lake Superior Saturday night.
“This is the most difficult decision we have to make during a search effort,” said Cmdr. Carolyn Moberley, of Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie.
“Coast Guard boat crews, aircraft, the cutter Biscayne Bay, as well as Canadian aircraft and numerous state and local resources have searched nonstop over an extensive portion of Lake Superior for these overdue boaters. Our very deepest condolences go out to the families of these individuals.”
The Coast Guard searched for a total of 151 hours covering more than 14,000 square miles.
The Coast Guard began its search Saturday night after receiving a report that the three individuals had not returned from fishing at 5 p.m. as expected. The boat owner’s trailer and truck were still at the local marina.
Searching were crews from: Coast Guard Station Marquette, Michigan, Coast Guard Station Portage, Michigan, Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Michigan, Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Canadian Department of National Defence.
UPDATE — Tuesday, September 20, 2016 4:20 p.m. EDT
SAULT STE. MARIE — U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard crews along with state and local agencies continue to increase the search area in Lake Superior Tuesday for two adults and one child who went missing Saturday night in the vicinity of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
The search region now extends east to Grand Marais, Michigan, and north to Caribou Island, Ontario, totaling approximately 7,000 square miles.
One of the three missing has been identified as Keith Karvonen. The Coast Guard is not releasing the names of the second adult and child.
Karvonen is the owner of a 14-foot boat, pictured above, that the group is expected to be aboard.
Agencies searching are: Coast Guard Station Marquette, Michigan, Coast Guard Station Portage, Michigan, Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Michigan, Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, Michigan, Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Canadian Department of National Defence.
As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, no signs of the missing individuals or their boat had been found.
Anyone with any information about this case is urged to contact the Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie command center at 906-635-3233. More information will be released as it becomes available.
CALUMET — The search continues tonight for three missing boaters in the Keweenaw Peninsula. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 61 year–old Keith Karvonen of Atlantic Mine, 43-year–old Steven Chartre and his nine–year–old son, Ethan, both of Ishpeming, never returned from a fishing trip Saturday night.
The three are said to be on a 14–foot boat Karvonen owns.
The Coast Guard, along with several other agencies, has searched more than 1,500 square miles looking for the trio.
Diane Karvonen of South Range, Keith’s sister, spoke with us this morning about the ongoing search.
“The Coast Guard has done a wonderful job,” said Karvonen. “They’re continuously in the water. That water is never left alone. It’s stressful thinking that my brother is out there somewhere. Hopefully, we’re hoping that he’s on land.”
Diane is also looking for a boater who she came in contact with the other day to come forward with what she believes is vital information.
“There is a man that came in after dark. I approached a man on the larger boat, which was the last boat that came in and asked him if he had seen a boat out there. He said yes. I asked him how many people were on it. He said one. We would like you to come forward and talk to police and give information to see if that was my brother’s boat,” said Karvonen.
UPDATE — Monday, September 19, 2016 9:00 a.m. EDT
The names of the father and son who did not return home from a fishing trip Saturday have been released.
Personnel at the Michigan State Police Calumet Post say Steven Chartre, 43, of Ishpeming and his son, Ethan Chartre, 9, also of Ishpeming, were reported missing after they did not return home from a fishing trip in Chassel with Keith Karvonen, 61, of Atlantic Mine.
The three have not yet been located. The U.S. Coast Guard is still searching Lake Superior with both helicopters and boats.
Officers are urging anybody with information regarding the incident to call the post at (906) 337-5145.
UPDATE — Sunday, September 18, 2016 10:00 p.m.
Authorities have released the name of one of the three missing boaters.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Keith Karvonen is one of the missing boaters. The names of the second adult and the child are not being released.
The three missing people are on a 14-foot boat Karvonen owns. The trio never returned from a fishing trip Saturday afternoon.
The Coast Guard, along with several other agencies, have searched more than 1,500 square miles in 20 plus hours.
An aircrew from Massachusetts is scheduled to conduct searches Sunday night and into Monday morning. If you have any information on the missing boaters, contact the Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie command center at (906) 635-3233.
UPDATE — Sunday, September 18, 2016 5:40 p.m.
The Canadian Coast Guard is providing assistance to the U.S. Coast Guard, Michigan State Police, Michigan DNR, along with local sheriff and fire departments in the effort to find three missing boaters.
Authorities are looking near the town of Gay to the Keweenaw Bay, down to Baraga and even as far as the Huron Mountains.
The U.S. Coast Guard has been searching for them for nearly 20 hours. With all of their resources in the air and on the ground, they’ve covered 1,500 square miles.
If anyone has any information about the missing boaters, you’re asked to contact the Michigan State Police Calumet Post at (906) 337-2211.
CALUMET — Authorities in the Copper Country are looking for three people who never returned from a fishing trip Saturday afternoon on Lake Superior.
Troopers with the Michigan State Police Calumet Post say a 61-year-old Atlantic Mine man launched a 16-foot craft from the Portage Entry in Chassell early Saturday afternoon. A 43-year-old Ishpeming man and his nine-year-old son accompanied the man on a fishing trip.
When the trio did not return after dark, family members contacted authorities. An extensive search is currently being conducted.
Authorities have not yet located the party. Police are asking anyone with information about the missing trio to contact the Michigan State Police Calumet Post at (906) 337-2211.