One of the four missing Manitoba boaters rescued Friday says it was a miracle the group was found.

Kevin Hudson, his wife, a friend, and an eight-year-old relative left Poplar River Thursday headed for Norway House.

Hudson said the group headed out onto Lake Winnipeg Thursday at noon.

When the boat's engine conked out, he said, they used paddles to try and get to shore but a strong wind prevented them from making much headway.

He said they set anchor about eight kilometres from shore.

The boat was stocked with safety gear and food, he said.

Hudson was hoping a change in wind direction Thursday night or Friday morning would help them get closer to shore, but they were faced with a constant northeast wind.

The group first noticed the Hercules around 11:30 a.m. Friday.

He said the plane flew right over them, but the pilot did not see them.

Around 2 p.m., the plane was overhead again, but also did not spot the group.

"We thought the plane stopped searching," he said after a few more hours passed.

"That was a lot to take," he added. "I was worried about my lady and that little boy.

"I told him to put on a life jacket," he said. "We kept him dry and fed and warm. He was scared. We tried to keep him calm, telling him, it'll be alright. They're not going to stop searching. They'll find us."

Finally, around 6 p.m., the plane returned for a third time.

"We saw the plane again, doing zig-zags, and then half an hour later, that's when the Hercules found us," Hudson said.

The searchers dropped a radio to the group and two rescue boats were sent to pick them up.

"We felt all relieved," Hudson told CBC News after it was clear they would be OK. "My old lady was crying, and she was happy. The little boy was happy too."

Hudson said nobody in the group was hurt.

"I'm just glad I got someone watching out for us up there," he added.

With files from CBC's Kiran Dhillon