IONIA COUNTY, Mich. — After more than a week of searching for the body of a Grand Rapids kayaker who drowned in an Ionia County lake, authorities said they've found him.
On Monday, the Ionia County Sheriff's Office said they found 32-year-old Mauro Escobar-Loarca of Grand Rapids in about 40 feet of water on Sessions Lake.
The search began just before 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 14 when someone called 911 to report a kayaker had flipped his vessel and didn't resurface.
Deputies said the missing kayaker was on the water with his girlfriend when they got uncomfortable in their lifejackets, so they took them off.
He was last seen at 6:57 p.m. on Sunday, July 14.
The search was updated to a recovery effort and then an accidental drowning.
Water rescue teams from several area fire departments as well as the sheriff's dive team responded to the no-wake lake inside the Ionia State Recreation Area.
After suspending the search due to difficult conditions, crews resumed their search.
The sheriff's office thanked the Michigan State Police Dive team, who they said were instrumental in finding the man using their underwater drone.
"...the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office extends condolences to the family during this difficult time. The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank the family members for their patience and understanding throughout this process," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.
Other agencies that helped out during the search include the Michigan State Police, the Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers, the Department of Natural Resources Sessions Lake State Park, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office, Berlin-Orange Fire Department, Saranac Fire Department, Lyons-Muir Fire Department, Ionia Department of Public Safety, Lake Odessa Fire Department, Ionia County Central Dispatch, and the Ionia County Victim Advocate Team.
