HARRISON TWP. (WWJ) -- Authorities say alcohol use and poor weather conditions are both believed to be contributing factors in a drowning in Anchor Bay over the weekend.
The Macomb County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that divers have recovered the body of a 37-year-old man who jumped into the water for a swim Sunday night, and didn't make it back.
Essa Koja of Macomb Township was on a 37’ Sea Ray boat with a group of 17 people when they stopped for a swim in water around 13 feet deep.
The water was rough at the time and Koja "was not a strong swimmer," the sheriff's office said.
When the boat, which was not anchored tightly, started drifting away, Koja began yelling for help.
Macomb County Sheriff's Sgt. Renee Yax said several of Koja's friends jumped in to try to save him, but they just couldn't manage to keep him afloat.
Koja disappeared under the waves and did not resurface.
The boat was registered to the victim’s brother, and did have the proper number of life jackets on board for all passengers.
However, Yax told WWJ's Sandra McNeill that Koja and his friends weren't wearing them.
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She cautioned: "If you don't know how to swim, or you're not a strong swimmer, if you're gonna enter the water, put a life jacket on. Make sure it's on correctly, make sure it's zipped or tied or however it fastens."
After search efforts involving Macomb County Marine Division, Macomb County Dive Team and U.S. Coast Guard failed Sunday night and Monday, divers found Koja's body in around 10 feet of water, near where the 911 call had been made.
The sheriff's office added in a news release: "Alcohol and weather are believed to play a factor in this incident."
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