MI Coast Guard Rescues 4 Kids Stranded In Lake Superior

TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Michigan coast guard officials on Sunday rescued four juvenile girls who were stranded on a rock in Lake Superior.

The girls (ages 14, 13, 10 and 8) were stuck near Black Beach Trailhead, just off the Minnesota shore about 50 miles northeast of Duluth, according to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City.

Officials said the girls used paddleboards to reach a small island on Lake Superior from Black Beach at 8 p.m. Saturday night. After reaching the island, officials said they lost their paddleboards.

The girls were unable to safely leave the rock due to "hazardous conditions," leaving them stranded on the small island, officials said.

Rescue crews made their way out to the island, but called for helicopter assistance due to the rough waters, officials said.

A helicopter crew from St. Paul, Minnesota could not respond due to weather, so officials requested a crew from Traverse City.

The Traverse City coast guard crew traveled roughly 290 miles in two hours to rescue the children at 1 a.m. early Sunday morning, officials said.

All four kids were safely hoisted and checked by medical crews before they were safely returned to their parents, officials said.

"This successful rescue highlights the critical importance of interagency coordination and the rapid response capabilities of the U.S. Coast Guard," Lt. j.g. Patrick Grissler, an aircraft commander, told KTSP. "We are grateful for the collaboration with Lake County and are pleased to have safely assisted these individuals."

You can see footage of the rescue below: