23-year-old drowns after boat drifts away on Bear Lake
A 23-year-old Bear Lake man drowned Monday after he and another person jumped from a boat that later drifted beyond their reach.
According to the Manistee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received the report around 1:30 p.m. Aug. 24 from the north side of Bear Lake. A nearby boater helped one swimmer reach shore, but the 23-year-old man sank and did not resurface.
Officers and fire and rescue crews used sonar from several boats to search the area where the man was last seen. Mason County Sheriff’s Office divers recovered his body around 5:18 p.m.
The sheriff’s office said the man was not wearing a flotation device. State, tribal, county and local emergency agencies assisted with the search and recovery.
Michigan law after a fatal boating accident
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources life jacket rules require vessels to have an approved personal flotation device for each person aboard. The rules identify specific wear requirements for children younger than 6, people riding personal watercraft and people being towed. An adult’s failure to wear a life jacket outside those categories does not by itself establish a legal violation.
Under MCL 600.2922, an estate’s personal representative may bring a wrongful-death action when another person’s wrongful act, neglect or fault caused the death and would have supported a claim if the person had survived. A fatal accident alone does not establish liability. Deadlines can depend on the underlying claim and potential defendant, as Michigan Legal Center’s explanation of Michigan wrongful death deadlines discusses.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles wrongful death and serious injury matters throughout Michigan.
People affected by a fatal boating accident can contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether the matter falls within its practice areas.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.
Michigan Legal Center’s guide to Michigan wrongful death deadlines explains why the correct timeline depends on the type of claim involved.