GRAND HAVEN, MI (WHTC) – Two drownings in three weeks on Lake Michigan has a common thread that a non-profit group looking to increase awareness of the dangers of the Great Lakes wants to spotlight.
The early Sunday morning recovery of the body of 23-year-old Sheldon Benson of Coopersville in the waters off of Grand Haven followed that of 16-year-old Riley Hoeksema of Holland near Holland State Park on June 19th. In each situation, the victim was not wearing a life jacket and was apparently thrown from the vessel into choppy water that they couldn’t swim to safety.
Officials of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project say that there have been 40 drownings throughout the Great Lakes this year, and 478 have been tracked by the group since 2010. Half of the 40 in 2016 have been in Lake Michigan. The group, in a Saturday Facebook posting, said, “PLEASE put your kids in lifejackets. Stay within your ability. Respect the power of the Lakes!”
This group had made a presentation during the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium Conference at Grand Haven in April.
