2 die after Mackinac race boat capsizes

CHARLEVOIX, Mich. (WOOD) - Two people died after their 35-foot sailboat participating in the 103rd Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac capsized in northern Lake Michigan early Monday morning.

It happened near Fox Island west of Charlevoix as a round of thunderstorms moved across the lake.

The victims have been identified as WingNuts skipper Mark Morley, 51, and Suzanne Bickel, 41, both from Saginaw, according to the race's website. He had 44 years of sailing experience, including six Chicago-Mackinac races and 85 qualifying races. Bickel had sailed in two previous Chicago-Mackinac races, with 16 qualifying races.

There were eight crew members aboard WingNuts. Six of them were rescued by a passing boat -- Sociable -- and Morley and Bickel were considered missing.

The Sociable crew contacted the U.S. Coast Guard who arrived along with a Charlevoix County dive team. The Coast Guard used one of its 41-foot utility boats, a helicopter and its Cutter Mackinaw during the search. The dive team pulled Morley and Bickel from the water around 8:44 a.m. near the vicinity of their boat, according to the Coast Guard. The two boaters were unresponsive and later pronounced dead.

The Coast Guard has not released names of the rest of the crew of WingNuts, a Kiwi 35 style boat based out of Saginaw, Mich. The race website lists them as --

• Christopher (C.J.) Cummings, 16, of Grandville, Mich.
• Stewart Morley, 15, of Midland, Mich.
• Peter Morley Jr., 47, of Midland, Mich.
• Stanton Dent, 51, of Midland, Mich.
• John Dent, 50, of Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Lee Purcell, 46, of Chicago , IL

24 Hour News 8 Daybreak talked to C.J. Cummings' dad. Chip Cummings said he received a call around 12:30 a.m. from the Coast Guard, telling him that C.J. and the other survivors were taken to Charlevoix. Chip was able to talk to his son who said he was ok and very tired.

Chip said Mark Morley is a cousin to C.J. Cummings' mom, and that Morley and Bickel were dating.

The Coast Guard said it is unknown at this time if the WingNuts crew members had life jackets on at the time of the accident.

Waves in the water where the boat capsized were between 4 and 6 feet, and the water temperature was in the low 70s, according to the Coast Guard.