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1 dead, 2 others rescued after boat sinks in chilly Mosquito Lake
By DANNY RESTIVO
Bazetta
After a daylong search, the body of a missing duck hunter was recovered in Mosquito Lake on Saturday.
A man matching the description of Daniel Khalil, 35, was pulled from the water around 5 p.m., according to 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.
He was one of three hunters aboard a boat that sank in the lake early Saturday morning, said Dennis Lewis, Bazetta fire chief.
Lewis said the other two men were transported to St. Joseph Health Center in Warren where they were treated and released.
Lewis said a call came in about 6:30 a.m. about a possible drowning. According to reports, nearby duck hunters heard cries for help coming from the lake.
The hunters found two men treading water on the eastern side of the lake, near West Main Street in Cortland, said Lewis.
The hunters used a boat to rescue the two men, before they said another victim was still in the water, Lewis said. He also said none of the men wore a life preserver.
Lewis said 15 agencies and more than 60 people assisted in the rescue effort, including members of the Trumbull County dive team. Lewis said the rescue teams used sonar and cadaver dogs in their attempt to find Khalil.
The search for the missing hunter was suspended around 4 p.m. due to dropping water temperatures and fading daylight.
But about one hour after recovery efforts were stopped, a hunter found a body floating 10 feet from shore that matched the description of Khalil, said Lewis.
He said the victim was found on the western side of the lake, nearly a mile from where the incident occurred.
Lewis said the lake is a popular destination for duck hunting, and many sportsmen hunt from boats on the lake. Lewis said he is unsure how the boat sank, but said the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident.
The drowning is the second death in six months at the lake. On July 7, police said a 21-year-old Amish man jumped into the water from a boat on a hot day and never surfaced. His body was recovered several hours later.
That July week was a deadly one in the Valley for drownings. A Canton man drowned in Berlin Lake on July 7, and a 17-year-old from Youngstown drowned at Logan Swim and Tennis Club in Liberty on that same day.