You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 10:12 a.m.

Details emerge on fatal Lake Michigan canoe accident

By John Counts

manitouisland.jpg

A view from the beach of North Manitou Island. An 8-year-old Ann Arbor boy and his father were attempting to canoe back to the mainland from when the canoe overturned. The boy later died from hypothermia.

Photo by Karl Ericson

A Coast Guard helicopter didn't spot an Ann Arbor man's overturned canoe in the cold waters of Lake Michigan for more than an hour after the initial call for help was received, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.

The 48-year-old man's 8-year-son, a passenger in the canoe, later died from hypothermia.

The Record-Eagle report on Wednesday morning stated that the initial call placed by the man at 8:20 p.m. was routed to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's dispatch in Indiana before local officials were dispatched.

The newspaper also reported that park officials warned the 48-year-old about taking the trip.

Lake Michigan is 10 degrees cooler than it was at this time the previous two years, MLive reported.

Officials said the water Monday evening when the canoe overturned a half-mile from Sleeping Bear Point after making a trip from North Manitou Island was 55 degrees.

The boy was rescued by helicopter and taken to Munson Hospital in Traverse City, where he later died from hypothermia. His father also was hospitalized for hypothermia.

Officials were expected to release their names Wednesday afternoon.

John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

towncryer

Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 9:03 p.m.

Out of curiosity, do they know how much time lapsed before call was rerouted to the local officials from Indiana?