Mail boat rescues man trying to swim across Detroit River

A man swimming across the Detroit River from Windsor to Detroit was rescued by a mail boat, according to the J.W. Westcott Company.

The crew was alerted to a person trying to swim across the river on Monday night.

The US Mail Boat J.W. Westcott II began a search for the swimmer with an approximate location near the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park Development.

"He was conscious when we found him. He was actually swimming inside a life ring, paddling across the Detroit River," Capt. Neil Schultheiss said. "Apparently, when he jumped in the river on the Windsor side from one of the parks, somebody threw a life ring to him and he took that life ring, got inside of it and started swimming across the Detroit River."

According to a news release from the company, a deckhand spotted the man at around 11 p.m. He was reportedly swimming inside a life ring that had been thrown to him by someone on shore in Windsor.

"When we reached him, he was coherent," Schultheiss explained in an interview with CTV News. "He seemed to be agitated or almost under the influence of something. We were trying to get him to come inside the cabin of the boat, and he just kind of kept pacing around on the bow, asking if the boat was going back to the U.S. and that he had to get back to the U.S.."

The man was transferred to the Detroit fireboat and transported to shore and an awaiting EMS unit. Although he was cold, he did not have any physical injuries.

Schultheiss continued, "The river temperature's about 73 degrees. There's a swift current that goes through there. It's very dangerous to try to swim across the river. He actually was doing fairly well for as long as he'd been in the water, but he couldn't pull himself out of the water. We had to lift him out. And I think if he hadn't had the life ring, it could have been a very different outcome."

Schultheiss said J.W. Westcott has an interesting history on the Detroit River, noting this is their 150th season of operation.

"If you talk to any of the crew that's worked there for any length of time, everybody has a story about rescuing people. Our fleet captain has been with the company for over 30 years. His name is Sam Buchanan, and he says that he's lost count of how many people he's assisted taking them out of the river."

"As a professional mariner, you have a responsibility," Schultheiss stated. "When someone requests aid, you render it. There's really no discussion. When we heard the call come out over the radio, there really wasn't a discussion. It was kind of a let's go. And about 30 seconds later, we were in the river looking for the guy."

"The Westcott has a long history of stepping up and helping in the river and definitely need to be recognized for this one as well," said Windsor Port Authority harbour master, Peter Berry.

Berry said officials believe the man had entered the water near the Great Canadian Flag along the river, adding the individual is lucky to be alive thanks to the Westcott crew.

"If they had not been in the right place at the right time and had the skills, that man probably would have got run over by a large ship," Berry said. "Right place, right time. Just divine providence was with that man last night."