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Watch: Seadoo operator found safe in Lake Erie east of Port Glasgow

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The search for a 42-year-old Seadoo operator in Lake Erie is over.

The OPP say the man identified as Jason was located Friday morning.

According to provincial police, he went missing just before 3 p.m. Thursday in Rondeau Bay.

Police say a group of five people — each with a separate watercraft — were headed into Lake Erie when one of the vessels became partially disabled after hitting a hazard in the water.

The man became separated after continuing into the lake, while the others returned to the marina with the disabled vessel.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Canadian Coast Guard, the U-S Coast Guard, the O-P-P and Chatham-Kent police and fire were all part of the overnight search effort.

This morning family members went out in the water and located the him near the shores of Lake Erie east of Port Glasgow.

In a social media post with the OPP, the man's father thanked first responders.

"I really thought I would never see him a live but look at the effort these people put out," he says.  "OPP I love you people, uniform people they deliver and care."

The man's father says they did a little math to try and figure out where his son might be.  

"Here in my case you helped me to find my son and so did my brother and whole night we didn't sleep, we just couldn't," he says.  "What do you do."

Hays the entire family is in tears.

"We have one of those family apps and everybody is beside themselves," he says.  "We thought we were going to have a funeral in two days or three days instead we are going to rejoice and be happy."    

Police say Jason is tired but was checked out by EMS and is good.

The OPP say he was wearing a life jacket and are once again reminding the public that life jackets save lives.

Local News