GreggB
06-21-2000, 10:19 AM
Boat flips on lake; 3 die, one missing
Foursome had gone on one-day outing near Algoma, officials say
By Vikki Ortiz
of the Journal Sentinel staff
Last Updated: June 20, 2000
A fishing adventure for three co-workers and a 13-year-old boy turned fatal when the boat they were riding in overturned in Lake Michigan near Algoma, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.
David Rotell, 38; Ron Talbot, 37; and his son, Michael, - all of Merrill - died in the accident, which was reported about 8 p.m. Monday, Petty Officer Howard McCarthy said.
A fourth friend, William King, was still missing Tuesday.
Coast Guard officials suspended the search for King, of Aniwa, around noon after waves up to 15 feet tall made it too dangerous to keep looking.
McCarthy said the situation looked bleak for King, who is married and has two young children.
"We're approaching 24 hours later now. . . . The likelihood of us finding a survivor is slim," McCarthy said.
The men, who all worked together at Northern Wire LLC in Merrill, had planned to spend all day salmon fishing off Algoma, according to Jeanette Rotell, David Rotell's wife.
For years, Rotell and King, longtime best friends, had visited the same waters using King's 19-foot recreational boat every month during salmon season. They said it was the best place to catch the big fish they wanted, Rotell said.
"I guess the trout here are not big enough," Rotell said. "They gotta slay the big ones."
Because Talbot worked the same weekend shift as the other two men, he was invited along on their day off Monday. Talbot brought his son, who was excited about being with the guys on the water, Rotell said.
"I said, 'You're going with them? He smiled and said, 'Yeah! I'm going fishing!'" Rotell recalled.
But at about 8 p.m. Monday, another boater reported that King's craft had overturned about 6 miles northeast of the Algoma harbor, McCarthy said.
Lee Haasch, co-owner of Pier 42 Marina in Algoma, said his business partner, Mike Yunk, at first wasn't sure what the object was. A closer look determined it was the sinking boat with a body nearby.
Yunk reported the discovery to Haasch, who notified the Coast Guard and called 911. A rescue boat from the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard station was sent to recover the body and search for others.
Haasch then got into his own boat and joined a Coast Guard helicopter from Traverse City, Mich., officials from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and another civilian boat on the rescue mission.
Within an hour, another two bodies were discovered floating in the water wearing life jackets, McCarthy said.
Haasch said he was driving the boat that discovered the second man floating unconscious about a mile north of where the boat capsized. The rescuers pulled him aboard and covered him with blankets while administering CPR, he said.
"Nobody wants to see that. It's very tough," Haasch said.
All of the victims were pronounced dead on arrival at Door County Memorial Hospital, McCarthy said.
A second Coast Guard boat out of Two Rivers joined the search for King on Monday. At dawn Tuesday, a new Coast Guard crew in the rescue boat and a different Coast Guard helicopter out of Waukegan, Ill., were sent out, McCarthy said.
But after nearly 14 hours, the search was suspended because Coast Guard boats could not handle the rough waters, McCarthy said.
Officials are unsure what caused the boat to turn over and when it happened. There were no witnesses and no radio communications from men. Weather did not appear to be a factor. Waves on Monday were only about 1 feet high and winds were mild, McCarthy said.
An investigation is being conducted by the Coast Guard and Department of Natural Resources, McCarthy said.
"Something happened to the boat, and I don't know if we'll ever know exactly what," Haasch said.
Rotell said her husband and King never drank alcohol on their fishing trips. She and King's wife, Lynn, could not understand why the men didn't use the boat's radio to call for help, she said.
Rotell said the deaths left all of the families with unexpected uncertainties. Her 17-year-old daughter, Jamie, just graduated from high school and was planning to attend the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Without her husband, Rotell said she didn't know if she could afford the tuition.
Talbot had recently moved in with the Rotells because of personal problems. Three of his children - who ranged from 3 to 12 years old - had flown from Maine to spend the summer with him.
And King remained in Algoma Tuesday afternoon praying for her husband's body to be recovered, Rotell said.
"She just wants his body found. She can't deal with it 'till it's found," Rotell said.
Judy Strasser, a close friend and co-worker, said friends in the workplace were devastated.
"They were just supposed to go for the day and come back," she said.
Say a prayer for the families.
Foursome had gone on one-day outing near Algoma, officials say
By Vikki Ortiz
of the Journal Sentinel staff
Last Updated: June 20, 2000
A fishing adventure for three co-workers and a 13-year-old boy turned fatal when the boat they were riding in overturned in Lake Michigan near Algoma, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.
David Rotell, 38; Ron Talbot, 37; and his son, Michael, - all of Merrill - died in the accident, which was reported about 8 p.m. Monday, Petty Officer Howard McCarthy said.
A fourth friend, William King, was still missing Tuesday.
Coast Guard officials suspended the search for King, of Aniwa, around noon after waves up to 15 feet tall made it too dangerous to keep looking.
McCarthy said the situation looked bleak for King, who is married and has two young children.
"We're approaching 24 hours later now. . . . The likelihood of us finding a survivor is slim," McCarthy said.
The men, who all worked together at Northern Wire LLC in Merrill, had planned to spend all day salmon fishing off Algoma, according to Jeanette Rotell, David Rotell's wife.
For years, Rotell and King, longtime best friends, had visited the same waters using King's 19-foot recreational boat every month during salmon season. They said it was the best place to catch the big fish they wanted, Rotell said.
"I guess the trout here are not big enough," Rotell said. "They gotta slay the big ones."
Because Talbot worked the same weekend shift as the other two men, he was invited along on their day off Monday. Talbot brought his son, who was excited about being with the guys on the water, Rotell said.
"I said, 'You're going with them? He smiled and said, 'Yeah! I'm going fishing!'" Rotell recalled.
But at about 8 p.m. Monday, another boater reported that King's craft had overturned about 6 miles northeast of the Algoma harbor, McCarthy said.
Lee Haasch, co-owner of Pier 42 Marina in Algoma, said his business partner, Mike Yunk, at first wasn't sure what the object was. A closer look determined it was the sinking boat with a body nearby.
Yunk reported the discovery to Haasch, who notified the Coast Guard and called 911. A rescue boat from the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard station was sent to recover the body and search for others.
Haasch then got into his own boat and joined a Coast Guard helicopter from Traverse City, Mich., officials from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and another civilian boat on the rescue mission.
Within an hour, another two bodies were discovered floating in the water wearing life jackets, McCarthy said.
Haasch said he was driving the boat that discovered the second man floating unconscious about a mile north of where the boat capsized. The rescuers pulled him aboard and covered him with blankets while administering CPR, he said.
"Nobody wants to see that. It's very tough," Haasch said.
All of the victims were pronounced dead on arrival at Door County Memorial Hospital, McCarthy said.
A second Coast Guard boat out of Two Rivers joined the search for King on Monday. At dawn Tuesday, a new Coast Guard crew in the rescue boat and a different Coast Guard helicopter out of Waukegan, Ill., were sent out, McCarthy said.
But after nearly 14 hours, the search was suspended because Coast Guard boats could not handle the rough waters, McCarthy said.
Officials are unsure what caused the boat to turn over and when it happened. There were no witnesses and no radio communications from men. Weather did not appear to be a factor. Waves on Monday were only about 1 feet high and winds were mild, McCarthy said.
An investigation is being conducted by the Coast Guard and Department of Natural Resources, McCarthy said.
"Something happened to the boat, and I don't know if we'll ever know exactly what," Haasch said.
Rotell said her husband and King never drank alcohol on their fishing trips. She and King's wife, Lynn, could not understand why the men didn't use the boat's radio to call for help, she said.
Rotell said the deaths left all of the families with unexpected uncertainties. Her 17-year-old daughter, Jamie, just graduated from high school and was planning to attend the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Without her husband, Rotell said she didn't know if she could afford the tuition.
Talbot had recently moved in with the Rotells because of personal problems. Three of his children - who ranged from 3 to 12 years old - had flown from Maine to spend the summer with him.
And King remained in Algoma Tuesday afternoon praying for her husband's body to be recovered, Rotell said.
"She just wants his body found. She can't deal with it 'till it's found," Rotell said.
Judy Strasser, a close friend and co-worker, said friends in the workplace were devastated.
"They were just supposed to go for the day and come back," she said.
Say a prayer for the families.