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Body of another Lake Michigan drowning victim recovered

Elizabeth Miller
/
WCPN ideastream

With multiple drownings this month already in Lake Michigan, authorities Monday announced they found the body of a teenager who went missing at Pere Marquette Beach over the weekend

Police say the latest victim of Lake Michigan is 19-year-old Michael Hooffstetter of Ohio. Authorities said he went swimming with friends at Pere Marquette Beach with friends Sunday evening, when rip currents pulled the teen under the water. Beachgoers tried in vain to save him, however his body went missing according to the Muskegon Professional Firefighters Union Facebook Page.

Crews searched Sunday evening as the rescue evolved to a recovery effort. Authorities resumed the search Monday morning, and discovered his body around 9:30 AM.

The drowning is the latest in a disturbing trend of drownings in Lake Michigan this month.

The announcement came after three people drowned in Lake Michigan on Wednesday, July 13th including a 7-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man who both died in South Haven, a 16-year-old who drowned within the same hour in Ferrysburg, and 60-year-old also drowned that day in the Grand River Channel according to Ottawa County Public Safety.

Dr. Peter Wampler is with the Annis Water Resources Institute and is a professor of Geology at Grand Valley State University. He says, the Great Lakes are so dangerous because they don’t operate like inland lakes, and tourists to the area can be caught by surprise.

Last week, Grand Haven State Park officials Wednesday implemented a double red flag system that warns beach goers when the water is off limits.

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