Two crew members of the schooner Inland Seas based in Suttons Bay are being credited with preventing the drowning of three people in the Upper Peninsula port city of Escanaba when the "schoolship" was conducting a visit there last week.

The ship’s first mate, Allen Wolfe of Suttons Bay, heard calls for help Saturday coming from the Escanaba City Pier area carried by strong northwest winds that were gusting to 34 knots. With the help of a local citizen and Inland Seas deckhand Bob Hagerman of Glen Arbor, Wolfe was able to fish one of the victims from the water.

An Escanaba police officer helped rescue two other near-drowning victims.

According to an account in the Escanaba Daily Press, the victims had been carried away from the shore due to high waves and could easily have lost their lives. Once rescued, the victims were treated and released.

“All our crew members are trained in first aid and CPR and we practice emergency procedures aboard the schooner,” said Capt. Tom Kelly of Suttons Bay. “I am really proud of our guys for being at the right place at the right time and doing the right thing,” he said.