Five people who thought their boat might catch fire were rescued by personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Kenosha Sunday evening.

From a Coast Guard press release:

A U.S. Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Kenosha rescued five people who feared their vessel may catch fire after its engine began emitting smoke about one mile east of Kenosha Harbor in Lake Michigan Sunday evening. Someone aboard the 30-foot recreational boat used the vessel’s VHF-FM marine radio to call for help at 5:47 p.m. CST. A boatcrew aboard a 41-foot Utility Boat from Station Kenosha, which was already underway in Lake Michigan, immediately headed toward the boat. Once on scene, the Coast Guardsmen found that the vessel was still emitting smoke and brought the man, woman and three teenagers, who were all wearing life jackets, aboard the UTB as a safety precaution. After the Coast Guardsmen located the source of the smoke and deemed the vessel safe, the boatcrew towed it to Southport Marina in Kenosha. The Coast Guard reminds mariners of the importance of VHF-FM marine radios since they are far more reliable than cell phones in the marine environment, and when a mayday is sent out via VHF-FM radio it is a broadcast, not just a one-to-one communication. When mariners ask for help on a marine radio, any nearby boaters can hear the distress call and offer immediate assistance.