BEAR LAKE, MI — A 23-year-old man from Bear Lake drowned after he jumped into Bear Lake from a boat that drifted out of reach, according to local authorities. The Manistee County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened on the north side of the lake and prompted a search that lasted for hours before the man’s body was recovered later in the day.
Deputies said the office received a call about a missing person from a boat at about 1:30 p.m. One to two men had entered the water, and when the boat moved away, a nearby boater was able to help one of them get back to shore. The second man went under and did not resurface.
Search teams used sonar and multiple boats to locate the missing swimmer
Emergency crews searched the last known area with sonar from several boats as they tried to find the missing man. The recovery effort continued through the afternoon as responders worked the north side of Bear Lake and coordinated with multiple agencies.
Divers from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office eventually found and recovered the man’s body at about 5:18 p.m., several hours after the initial report. Authorities did not immediately release additional details about how far the boat drifted or what led to the man entering the water.
Manistee County deputies coordinated with state, tribal and local agencies
The Manistee County Sheriff’s Office said several agencies assisted during the search and recovery operation. Those included the Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Tribal Police, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Bear Lake Fire/Rescue, Onekama Fire/Rescue, Mobile Medical Response, the Manistee City Fire Department and Manistee Central Dispatch.
Officials have not said whether anyone else was injured. The case was handled as a rescue and recovery response, with responders focusing on the missing man after the boat drifted away and left one person stranded in the water.
Bear Lake sits in northwest Michigan near communities that regularly rely on water rescue response
Bear Lake is in northwest Michigan, and the incident drew support from fire, emergency medical and law enforcement agencies across the region. The coordinated response reflects the type of mutual aid that is often needed when an emergency unfolds on open water and search conditions change quickly.
Authorities have not identified the victim beyond saying he was a 23-year-old man from Bear Lake. No further information about the circumstances of the drowning was released after the body was recovered.
From the Twin Cities to the border and back, Travel Your Way keeps Minnesota informed.