Hancock woman is safe after being rescued after falling into Lake Superior

HOUGHTON COUNTY — A Hancock woman is safe after being rescued Sunday when she fell into Lake Superior.

Deputies from the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to McLain State Park on M-203 around 4:40 pm on a report of someone clinging to a kayak after falling into the water far from shore.

Authorities say a 21-year-old woman was on an inflatable flotation device with two other family members each in a kayak. When they realized they were far from shore, they attempted to tow the flotation device behind a kayak.

Realizing they were not making headway to shore, the woman was able to climb on the back of a kayak but then slid off into the water without a personal flotation device on.

The woman was given a life jacket by one of the kayakers to put on but was not able to climb back onto the kayak. After about 15-20 minutes, they realized they were still not making headway with the woman hanging onto the back of the kayak.

A phone call was made to another family member on shore who then called 911. The Sheriff’s Office was being assisted by the DNR Office with their boat along with the boat from the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office.

A passing boater close to the shore was directed toward the kayakers with hand signals, who was then able to pull the woman from the water.

The DNR boat was then able to transport the woman to shore where she was treated by Mercy Ambulance personnel for mild hypothermia.