Sunfish Sailor Missing in Lake Michigan

Bearadise

LifeLong Newbie
Coast Guard Searching For Missing Boater

Mike Krauser Reporting
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- Coast Guard crews are searching a huge area in Lake Michigan off Miller Beach, for a missing sailor who has not been heard from since Wednesday.

Gary dentist Steven Banks was in a small boat, his wife says, "its a sunfish, yeah, its just a one-man sailboat."

Crews located the sail boat several miles off Gary last night, unmanned.

He was wearing a wet suit, she says, to keep warm and for buoyancy, because the small boat tips over a lot.

"That could be the thing that saves him, the fact that he's got a wet suit on. yes, so I'm hoping. They're continuing the search today. They have Jets and helicopters and boats and people on the ground and I'm just hoping, " Mrs. Banks told Newsradio 780.

Coast Guard petty officer Bill Colclough says, "They'll be searching an area roughly the size of Los Angeles. Its roughly 500 square miles. Its an extremely large area."

His wife says Banks is a very good swimmer, and a scuba diver, "If somebody would stay afloat for two days, it could be him."
 
Not a good ending. Unfortunately, they found the Doctor's body on an Indiana beach late Saturday.

He was still wearing his life jacket and was an avid boater and accomplished scuba diver, so it sure makes one wonder what happened.

Also from southern Lake Michigan this month:
Man hit by sailboat boom, critically injured
August 16, 2009 5:01 PM | 13 Comments
A boater was taken to a Chicago hospital in critical condition this afternoon after being struck on the head by swinging boom on a sailboat in Lake Michigan.


Being on the water can sure turn from fun to tragic in a hurry, can't it?
 
Not a good ending. Unfortunately, they found the Doctor's body on an Indiana beach late Saturday.

He was still wearing his life jacket and was an avid boater and accomplished scuba diver, so it sure makes one wonder what happened.
Sorry to hear the news...

Looking at the weather for Indiana Dunes on Wednesday it appears to have been bordering on severe storms, wind 14 gusting to 23 and a T-storm developing around 6 pm. Just south of Gary, IN massive storm activity was causing flooding while tornados were tearing through Illinois and Indiana on a line just south of the tip of Lake Michigan. Pretty volatile and unstable weather to be going out sailing on the lake.
 
Zuma Sailor's Obituary
(re-post from the Zuma Sailing Forum)

Dr. Steven S. Banks, 58, loving husband of 29 years to Kathy Von Dorn-Banks; devoted father of Evan Banks; dear son of Gordon and Beverly Banks; cherished brother of Cheri (Rick) Staples and the late Randy Banks; beloved uncle to several nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews; many close cousins and friends; also fondly missed by "the girls" at his practice, passed suddenly Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009 while doing something he loved, sailing. He owned Banks Orthodontics of Des Plaines, IL. A renaissance man, Steve loved to travel, was an avid scuba diver, underwater photographer and a talented musician playing piano, guitar and most recently the dobro. His memory will be cherished by all who loved and were privileged to know him. Family and friends may gather at Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner St., Des Plaines, IL, on Saturday, Aug. 29 from 1 p.m. until the celebration of his life taking place at 3 p.m. At rest privately per his wishes. Memorial gifts in his name may be made to the Coral Reef Alliance, 351 California St., Suite 650, San Francisco, CA, 94104 or to Operation Smile, 6435 Tidewater Dr., Norfolk, VA 23509. Information please call, 847-824-5155 or visit www.mem.com to leave condolences
 

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