Mailboat rescues Florida man who allegedly tried to swim across Detroit River
(CBS DETROIT) - A mailboat rescued a Florida man who was allegedly trying to swim from Canada to Detroit Monday night.
A J.W. Westcott crew was notified about a person who was swimming across the Detroit River, from Windsor to Detroit.
They launched the US Mail Boat J.W. Westcott II and started to search for the swimmer in the area of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park Development.
"Around 11:00 p.m. deckhand James Sharp spotted a man swimming inside a life ring that had been thrown to him by someone on shore in Windsor," the J.W. Westcott Company said in a release. "The Westcott maneuvered alongside where James and Captain Neil Schultheiss lifted the man onto the deck of the mail boat."
"I've done this in the past. This is the second one for me. Yes, and they're all different. It's a real adrenaline rush when you go out, and it's a lot, and that adrenaline kind of turns into a heavyweight because, especially as the captain, it's up to me to maneuver safely alongside and get the person," captain Neil Schultheiss said.
After a 10-minute search, they spotted the man, who was paddling inside a life ring.
"There's a very strong current, and the water temperature is about 73 degrees right now. Luckily, somebody threw him that life ring, because even with a life ring, he was struggling. Where we found him, he'd made it almost halfway across the river, paddling in the life ring. But who knows what would have happened, you know, if we hadn't been able to find him," Schultheiss said.
After rescuing the man from the water, he told crewmembers that he was an American citizen from Florida, and was attempting to get back to the U.S.
Crewmembers said the man seemed disoriented and under the influence. He was cold but allegedly didn't have any physical injuries.
"We tried to get him to come inside the cabin and sit down, and he just kind of kept pacing around the front deck saying, 'Is this boat U.S.? Are we going back to the U.S.?'" Schultheiss said.
In coordination with Canadian authorities, the Westcott crew initially planned to return the man to Windsor.
The Florida man was transferred to the Detroit fireboat, taken to shore and then transferred to an EMS unit.
The J.W. Westcott Company delivers mail to freighters that pass through the Detroit River. Crews are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and in addition to deliveries, crews have also assisted with many rescues in the river.
This year marks the J.W. Westcott's 150th season of operation.
"It takes guys who are on the job and on the spot and, you know, very observant and willing to go the extra mile. And we're blessed with that. I'm I couldn't be happier with all of our guys, because I can tell you for a fact that over the years, anybody who has worked here has been through this," said Jim Hogan, owner and president of the J.W. Westcott Company.
Following the rescue, it was back to business the crew made the mail delivery to the freighter they were planning to do.