Mysterious yelling heard on island — then lobsterman finds missing man, officials say
Yells from an island off Maine’s coast helped clue rescuers in on where a missing man was located.
A boater was reported missing when he didn’t reach out to his family for a check-in at about 5 p.m., according to a Jan. 28 St. George Fire & Rescue Facebook post. The man was supposed to be “checking on property damage from recent storms in his skiff,” officials said.
Rescuers — about 25 in total — responded, and officials began planning where in the area between Tenants Harbor and Rackliff Island to start searching for the man, officials said. Then, another report helped responders narrow down their search.
Someone reported to officials that they heard yelling coming from an island in the area, and rescuers then focused their efforts there, the volunteer service said.
But St. George Fire & Rescue members weren’t the only ones looking for the missing man. Lobstermen in the area heard “chatter on the radio” about the missing boater and wanted to assist in the search, officials said.
A few stayed out in the area in case their help was needed, including one who officials said was in communication with the organization to figure out how he could be of service.
He journeyed out to the location where the yells were reported and soon after, he found the missing man, according to St. George Fire & Rescue.
“This would not have been accomplished without the help from each and every person who was involved tonight,” the organization said on Facebook.
Finding the boater felt like a “victory” for rescuers, officials said. The man is in recovery following his rescue, and the organization said it doesn’t know “what the future holds for our patient.”
In light of the situation, St. George Fire & Rescue urged others to make sure they have a plan to check-in with someone while out on the water. If a boater misses a check-in time to call or message, the rescue encouraged people to make sure they report it to authorities to avoid a “tragic outcome.”
St. George is about 80 miles northeast of Portland, Maine.
This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Mysterious yelling heard on island — then lobsterman finds missing man, officials say."
