ASHTABULA, Ohio — A routine fishing trip on Lake Erie turned into a rescue mission on Friday afternoon when a 3-year-old girl fell overboard and her father jumped in to save her.

"The father was able to keep his head afloat with the 3-year-old on his chest," said Chief Shawn Gruber of the Ashtabula Fire Department.

"It was a miracle, I mean, there’s no doubt God had his hand in this too," said Gruber.

The Ashtabula Fire Department successfully rescued both the father and daughter after they spent more than an hour drifting in the water, separated from their boat.

The emergency started about 1 p.m. Friday when the family was enjoying their day on the water, when the little girl went overboard.

While the mother struggled to shut off the boat's engines with her 2-year-old son still aboar

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