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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-10-23, Page 1} i4. `M{ ty' ib101(1lRIEl[, OIVT1[4 . 80CE14S RCOPY r X11 Moat drifted for over424 hours a fiat started 'out as a pleasant Sunday afternoon fishing_ trip turned into a frightening overnight experience drifting on the fickle waters of Lake Huron for three Ashfield Township fishermen Mon- day. The trio, Armand Joseph Forgett, 58, his 15.year old son Armand Jr. and a friend, William McDonald, 27, set out from Huron Sands in Ashfield Township at noon Sun- day but drifted helplessly for over 24 hours and nearly .15 miles due west on Lake Huron after the shearpin on their propellor was sheared. Rescue operations, which involved a flotilla of fishing tugs from Goderich, Bayfield and Southampton, the Coast Guard Cutter out of Goderich, and a Buf- falo aircraft from Canadian Forces Base Trenton, were successful in locating the 14 - foot boat at about 3 p.m. Monday more than 24 hours after the trio had set out from Huron Sands. With only one lifejacket on board and no food, the fishermen admitted they were "lucky to be alive" after being picked up the Mike J fishing tug awned by Greg Jackson of Southampton. They were brought into Goderich Harbour and taken to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. While brisk winds whipped up six-foot waves, Mcdonald said ' they kept warm during the night using a blanket they had onboard. Unable to sleep, they simply sat and talked while the small craft drifted aimlessly. They were greeted by anxious family members as the Mike J pulled into Snug Harbour. "We were only going to see if the boat worked," McDonald explained. "We got out a little ways with the boat and tried fishing for a while. But the shearpin on the propellor broke." Armand Jr. said they tried in vain for almost six hours to row into shore but strong currents and . a..brisk..wind kept pushing the tiny craft farther from shore. "We tried to row in for six hours. Finally we anchored about three miles out," Ar- mand Jr. explained. "But the anchor got caught and the rope was cut. We just started drifting away after that." Admitting that he was a "little bit scared", the young Forgett said that dur- ing the cool night his mind drifted to the propsect of being rescued. "I was thinking. am I going to get home'" The fishermen were spotted by the crew of the Mike J after the Buffalo aircraft from Trenton had dropped a flare to notify rescuers of the location of the boat. The rescue was accomplished just six hours after the fishermen were reported missing by family to the OPP. The Coast Guard Cutter was dispatched from Goderich Harbour and fishing boats owned by Bill and Greg Jackson joined the search as well as a local tug operated by Ian and Donald Bert MacAdam. The aircraft from (1 B Trenton was dispatched at 11 a.m. and the United States ('oast Guard was notified along with commercial freighters. Also, a group of volunteers in the Kintail area combed the Lakeshore 00 foot. A missing persons report was filed with the OPP Monday morning when Irma Hackett. mother of Armand ,Jr.. discovered her sore had not returned home m shone M� ydo*nson theL, jp1�I�tr Ori�./ . balioI, IMO;fled b ' ac- cn >t ec:, ; acc imed, as., Yor, 1D'Y to1:! is. nacho enged as reeve, ,is. unopposed as deputy reeve and Michael 1Vforiarity, is'acclai ►ed;; assepatrate School board trustee. Voters wilt be asked to choose betw 12. candidates for council. Included in t ;e running are Bill Clifford, Bob Cornish, Kathleen Leaman, Peter McCauley, Glen Carey, Peter Parent, Jim Sears, John Str- inger, Stan Profit, Wayne McLean, Robert Allen and Dave Harrison: The two candidates, running fer the posi- tion of trustee on the Huron County boalyd of education are Dorothy Wallace and Mary Ann Dempsey. Candidates running for the four positions on the public utilities commission are Tom Melady, Donald McMillan, Herbert J. SMuhrphy, James Peters and Leonard F. eardown. . Town protests portions of act A resolution protesting portions of the Young Offenders Act will be sent by Goderich council to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), Huron - Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell and Huron - Bruce MPP Murray Elston Huron MP Murray Cardiff and the offices of the Solicitor General and the Attorney General. • The resolution asks for the disclosure of the description, name and identity of young offenders who have escaped form any place of custody or detention. It is in response to the escape of three youths, all male from the Bluewater Centre in Goderieh less than a'month ago. The three have been apprehended. Though Goderich Police Chief Pat King recommended only the description and known dress be disclosed instead of the name of an escaped young offender, Coun. Glen Carey moved to include both name and identity. "I don't know what harm there is in naming them ev,.n if we might know them. I'd like to see them forfeit any right they ever had," he said. In a letter to council, Chief King said giving a young offender's name was not important. "The citizen would learn little from a name and citizens cannot demand a person give their name. However, giving the person's description and known dress is very important. This is what would enable a citizen to spot the escaper. But such action the young person could possibly be apprehended before they commit more offences which could probably be more serious offences than those for which they were Incarcerated," he said. similar request to the Ontario Police Commission. Armand Forgett Jr. holds to fishing poles with white flags attache that he and his father, Armand Forgett Sr. used in vain to attract attention as their boat drifted 15 miles from shore on Lake Huron off Huron Sands in Ashfield Township. The pair, along with friend from the Sunday outing with his father. Although it was not un'tiusual for him to spend the night at his father's home four miles away, Hackett was worried. "I went over to the house and the car was there and there was also another car with the keys in it," she explained. "But the boat and tractor were gone so I went to ( Clete) Dalton's and they phoned police." The police then contacted the Coast Guard and the rescue operation was laun- ched. But, for Hackett and the McDonalds, the six -hour search was an agonizing wait. Hackett, who said she lost a daughter several years, spent the time with neighbours, anxiously waiting for word and reflecting on a previous family tragedy. "I would have probably gone crazy if something had happened," she said. "I was praying all right I just grabbed my neighbour and cried when I found out they were found. I must have been really hyperventilating or something because she told me to get hold of myself." Both Hackett and the McDonalds credit their neighbours for helping during the ordeal. "The neighbours sure were good to me," Hackett said. The rescue operation was the 40th of the season for the Coast Guard operation sta- tioned in Goderich harbour. Wi tam McDonald, drifted for more than 24 hours after the shear - pin ' n their propellor was sheared. They were rescued Monday afternoon and brought to Goderich harbour. (photo by Dave Sykes) 1111113>.1•11111•1111111111116. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Community is responsible for alcohol abuse BY SUSAN H[;NDERTMARK Among the mixture of smells of blood, burnt flesh. vomitous and alcohol permeating a hospital emergency room after a traffic accident. the most powerful oder is alcohol. Dr. Don Neal told close to 4(1 people at a public forum on responsible drinking last Thursday. "J can't remember when the emergency room hasn't reeked of that drug." he said while describing the prevalence of alco1,,,1 abuse he sees as a coroner. "So many deaths i investigate alcohol-related. Falls. head injuries snowmobile accidents. industrial ac- cidents. fires. drownings and choking all usually have in common the ingestion of alcohol beyond the limit." he said. His recommendations about how to avoid such accidents are often colored by the presence of alcohol. He said it's hard to knc w whether an intersection is unsafe or not if an accident involved a drunk driver. "It's a constant dilemma. So often I don't know what to recommend except that people he mindful of this drug." he said. Describing alcohol abuse as Goderich's best kept secret, Dr. Neal said the problem must be brought to the surface with educa- tion programs for students and increased media attention. "it's time drunk drivers suffered the public announcement of their names so we could be aware of the accidents and their primary cause. A little humiliation is easier to accept that the death and destruction that result from the abuse of alcohol," he said. Norman Giesbrecht, of the Addiction Research Foundation agreed that alcohol Turn to page 2 Close to 40 people attended a„publie forum last Thursday night at the Legion concerning community solutions to alcohol abuse. Members of a panel addressing both responsible drinking and serv- ing included from left to right Randy Smith, Mike Lapaine, Nor- man Giesbrecht, Diane Ewer, Paula Pranovi and Rev, Gord Sim- mons. ( photo by Susan Hundertmark ) Cross country Runners from a number of Huron Perth schools competed in a cross country meet on Thursday in Benmiller at the Falls Reserve. The GDCI senior boys placed first as a team and captured the championship in their division. The Viking girls also placed well. More results can be found in the sports section. Sailor action The God€: ich Junior C Sailors were defeated in both of the games they played this past weekend. The Friday night game in Goderich was a hair-raising adventure, as the Port Elgin Bears edged the Sailors 6-5. Saltford Fair The Colborne Township Christmas Country Fair was held last Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Read about why people enjoy attending craft shows, this week on the community page.