MUSKEGON, Mich. — West Michigan search crews located and recovered the body of a man who fell overboard from a fishing vessel in Lake Michigan Thursday.
The Muskegon County Sheriff's Office said around 10:30 a.m. Thursday the Muskegon County Marine Division was dispatched to the report of a person who had fallen off a fishing vessel without a life jacket.
According to officials, others on board the fishing vessel tried to throw the man a life jacket, but he wasn't able to grab it.
MCSO said the people in the vessel lost sight of the man within minutes of him being in the water. His last known location had been about two miles offshore in the Muskegon Channel.
Search crews staged around the USS Silversides Submarine Museum.
Master Chief Kyle Thomas is the officer in charge of U.S. Coast Guard Station Grand Haven and Ford Operating Location Muskegon. He said they were searching for four to five hours.
Deputies said the search for the man turned into a recovery mission in the early afternoon on Thursday. However, due to the wind and large surf, the recovery effort had to be suspended.
On Friday around 10:30 a.m. crews recovered a 26-year-old man around two miles offshore in 80 feet of water.
The man's identity is not being released at this time.
Thomas said there have been several recent search and rescue cases around the lake that have ended up being tragic losses. He said the Coast Guard wants to emphasize the importance of wearing life jackets.
"We wear ours on our boats to keep us safe every time we leave the pier," Thomas said. "We highly, highly recommend people do that. And then for children under the age of 13, under federal law, they're required to wear their life jacket if they're above decks to keep them safe as well. So I ask that everyone in the public keep that in mind, and please wear your life jacket."
MCSO was assisted in the recovery by Norton Shores Fire Department, Muskegon Fire Department, Muskegon Twp Fire Department, North Muskegon Fire Department, Norton Shores Police Department, Michigan DNR, U.S. Coast Guard and Muskegon Police Department.