HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the 60-year-old man who drowned in Lake Michigan Sunday, August 22.
Sgt. Cal Kuenig of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Marine Division says Kenneth Phillips, 60, of Grand Haven Township died after struggling in the waters of Lake Michigan, Around 1:30 p.m. police, firefighters and the Coast Guard were dispatched in the waters off the north pier of Pigeon Lake.
Phillips and his brother were body surfing the waves near the sandbar. Police say one of the two began to struggle. The brother told authorities he tried to swim both of them back to shore. Waves were at least five feet high and with a possible rip current. The brother was unable to swim his brother back to shore and 911 was activated.
A short time later, Phillips was removed from the water from by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Dive Team and was pronounced deceased by paramedics from North Ottawa Community Hospital EMS.
