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Cass Lake
A Detroit man died Sunday after drowning in Cass Lake in Keego Harbor in northern Oakland County.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said its Search and Rescue Team responded to Cass Lake around 4:15 p.m. following a report of a drowning.
According to a press release, the 26-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was on a 20-foot boat with four others on Cass Lake.
At some point he entered the water, unaware that the boat had drifted into deeper water. Unable to swim, he began to struggle. A friend jumped in to save him and was able to bring him to the surface momentarily, but “the man was panicking, and the friend could not hold him.”
Divers found the man about 1,700 feet from the shoreline, the sheriff’s office said. CPR was administered but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In a statement on social media, the Sheriff's Office said:
"Sadly, we just had a drowning, and we recovered the individual from 55-foot-deep water. With the onset of warmer weather and a substantial increase in water activity, we urge people to use flotation devices and wear them if they are not strong swimmers, regardless of the situation.
"Additionally, it is crucial to have life-saving equipment on board boats to rescue individuals in distress. An enjoyable day on the water can quickly become a tragic moment."
