No Life Jackets

How can someone supervising youth at a camp-out, not be sure that there are life jackets, if not worn by those on the boat, as least be on the boat? Oh, I shouldn’t judge, because I am talking about teenage boys, and I know that teenagers don’t have any fear, and even if the jackets were on the boat, they probably wouldn’t have had them on.

<Volunteers from St. Louis Co. Volunteer Rescue Squad drag lake - photo by Amanda Odeski, Duluth News Tribune (for full story go to Duluth News Tribune website)

A fishing boat with 5 teenage boys on it capsized on a lake north of Duluth on Saturday. They were coming back from an island in the lake where they had stayed overnight. A man from the shore by his cabin saw the boat turn over. He and his 10 year old and 5 year old sons were able to save two of the boys.

The rescue squad has been searching and dragging the lake ever since looking for the other three, even through today. The weather was windy on Saturday, making for dangerous waves. Authorities said the small boat couldn’t safely transport five teenagers on the lake’s choppy waters and waves.

The man who saved the two boys said the real tragedy is that if they had their life jackets on, they would have been able to save all five. Of course, if he hadn't seen that boat, they would be looking for 5 instead of 3, so we are thankful for that.

The teenagers are all part of a church family, and thankfully the families have a lot of support from their church family. May we add our support and prayers to the families of the three boys. And… remember to wear our life jackets.