(WWJ) Authorities are urging everyone to stay off the ice on Michigan lakes, after a complicated rescue effort failed to save the life of a windsurfer in Livingston County on Wednesday.
Around 2 p.m. on March 12, the Livingston County Sherriff's Office said it's deputies were were dispatched to a water rescue on Lake Chemung, in Genoa Township. This is in the area of I-96 and Grand River, between Brighton and Howell.
Witnesses reported seeing a windsurfer — initially referred to as a "paraglider" by first responders — fall through the ice.
Brighton Area Fire Authority was first on scene and sent rescuers out to the person, whose head was still above water.
The rescuers were able to get to the windsurfer, identified as a 90-year-old Howell man, and keep them above water, but they were unable to pull him out.
The Livingston County Dive Team also responded, the sheriff's office said, but due to the poor ice conditions and other factors, divers couldn't to the man, and boats could not be used.
Speaking to WWJ's Luke Sloan, Brighton Area Fire Authority Chief Mike O'Brien said the man was about 350 yards from shore, which made the recue difficult.
"A lot of the ice is still there, but it's unstable," O'Brien said. "It took our staff a pretty significant effort to get up to him."
The U.S. Coast Guard responded with a helicopter was able to remove the victim from the water using a rescue swimmer.
Livingston County EMS attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead.
In a news release Thursday, the sheriff's office warned the public to stay off the ice, noting that recent changes in temperature have caused unsafe conditions with weakened and "honeycombed" ice.