Boat crash victims remain unidentified

BERLIN TWP. — Nearly three days after a deadly boat collision on Lake Erie, officials still have not released identities of four people involved in the wreck. One person died, one person remains missing and two others were injured when two vessels collided Tuesday night near Cranberry Creek in Berlin Township. Little is known about the events that led to the crash. U.S. Coast Guard and Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokespeople have not provided any information on the circumstances leading up to the fatal accident, nor did they identify any of the victims. They referred a Register reporter to the Lucas County Coroner's Office for the identity of the person who died. The coroner's office said they would return a request for that information, but did not do so by Thursday evening. Background Two people from each boat were ejected, and a Good Samaritan aided in the rescue of two injured boaters. One person was declared dead at the hospital and another is still unaccounted for as of Thursday night. Bill Ladlee, an eyewitness at the scene, spoke to the Register to clear up a description of the accident that had been relayed inaccurately. Ladlee said he received a call from his wife after she saw flares in the sky. Ladlee, who lives near the area, went towards the shore. "I went to see what was going on, from what I could see there wasn't any personnel yet," Ladlee said. "I called the fire department, they said they were aware and that someone was in route." Ladlee said when he asked officials what had occurred they said there had been a boat collision. "They were walking along the shoreline looking out with flashlights and binoculars," Ladlee said. "When I asked what happened they told me it was a boat collision." Ladlee said there was small crowd gathered on the shore watching the scene unfold. Rescue teams from the Coast Guard and Huron Fire Department were on land and water assisting at the scene. A Coast Guard helicopter searched for the missing person through Tuesday night into the morning, the search has since ceased. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is handling the investigation and salvaged the two ships that were involved in the wreck.