A sailor and a friend were rescued from the waters of Lake Michigan Wednesday afternoon, nearly a year after after his wife rescued him when the same boat overturned.
Both episodes ended without substantial injury or death, but now conservation police officers may look into whether Peter Kovats should be fined or billed for his second water rescue in a year.
Kovats and a friend were in the 19-foot sailboat -- Peter Pan -- shortly before 2:30 p.m. when the craft listed, capsized and took on water about a quarter-mile from the Montrose Hook off Wilson Avenue.
"When we arrived on the scene the two gentlemen were struggling," said David Johnsen with the Chicago Police Department's Marine Unit
Authorities ultimately were able to pull the 62- and 63-year-old men, who were clearly showing signs of fatigue, from the cold water.
"I'm no expert on hypothermia, but these guys were definitely -- you could tell by the condition of their hands and their skin -- they were cold and wet and they were happy to see us," said Johnsen.
Both men were taken in good condition to Weiss Memorial Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital. The boat was towed back to shore.
Last May, Kovats and two other men went out on the lake as part of a birthday celebration. A storm moved in flipped the boat. Kovats was later found by the Coast Guard, unconscious but in a life preserver.
