June 30, 2024 – Ozaukee Co., WI – On Saturday, June 29, 2024, at approximately 11:55 a.m., the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of kayakers in distress on an island in the Milwaukee River near Manchester Drive in the Town of Grafton.
A 38-year-old male, a 36-year-old female, and their 2-year-old child from the City of Mequon were kayaking down the Milwaukee River when their kayaks overturned. All three subjects were separated from their kayaks and stranded on an island in the river.
The child was wearing a life jacket. The adults had life jackets with them; however, they were not being worn at the time. The kayaks and life jackets continued downstream when the kayaks overturned.
The Grafton Fire Department, Saukville Fire Department, Port Washington Fire Department, Waubeka Fire Department, Fredonia Fire Department, and Cedarburg Fire Department responded. A water rescue was conducted and all three subjects were located and safely brought back to shore. The Grafton Police Department, Saukville Police Department, Ozaukee County Emergency Management, and Ozaukee County Drone Team also assisted with the incident.
This was the second water rescue to occur on the same stretch of the Milwaukee River in the Town of Grafton in two days.
A previous incident occurred on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at approximately 2:36 p.m. when the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of two kayakers in distress on an island in the Milwaukee River. The incident occurred in the Milwaukee River near the area of Heather Ct. in the Town of Grafton.
A 49-year-old male and his 16-year-old son from the Town of Grafton were kayaking down the Milwaukee River when their kayaks overturned. Both subjects were wearing their life jackets. They became separated from their kayaks and were stranded on an island.
The Grafton Fire Department, Saukville Fire Department, Waubeka Fire Department, and Fredonia Fire Department responded. A water rescue was conducted and both subjects were located and brought safely back to shore. The Cedarburg Police Department, Ozaukee County Emergency Management, and Ozaukee County Drone Team also assisted with the incident.
In both incidents, the kayakers entered the Milwaukee River from Lime Kiln Park in the Village of Grafton and their kayaks overturned in the area of Manchester Drive in the Town of Grafton. The kayaks overturned due to rapid water conditions and downed trees in the river causing obstacles that were difficult to navigate.
The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office urges kayakers to avoid using this stretch of the Milwaukee River until water levels subside and water conditions improve.4
One yellow, black, and red kayak from Thursday’s incident remains unaccounted for. If the kayak is located please contact the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
