11 people have now drowned this year in Oakland Co. lakes

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — It’s been a deadly year in Oakland County lakes, as law enforcement officials recovered the body of an 84-year-old Sylvan Lake man Friday night.

His drowning in Sylvan Lake marks the 11th to happen in Oakland County’s lakes so far this year, officials from the sheriff’s office said.

“In an already extremely tragic summer, the loss of another person while they were enjoying the water is very said,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “While we don’t know what happened in this case yet, we encourage people if they are not strong swimmers, or they are alone in the water to consider using a floatation device.”

Other boaters had seen the 84-year-old man taking his 18-foot Blastron pleasure boat onto the lake at about 2:30 p.m. Friday. At about 5:15 p.m., someone saw the man’s unoccupied boat drifting in the water and called for help.

Other boaters tied up the man’s drifting boat, and deputies arrived and found the man’s personal items including cell phone, wallet and car keys in his boat.

Divers responded to the scene, and after several hours’ searching they recovered the man’s body at about 10 p.m. He was in five feet of water, about 200 feet from the shore.

Officials from Oakland County say the preliminary cause of death is drowning, and that the man had not been wearing a life jacket.

They have not found evidence of any alcohol or drug use.

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