In 2019, there have been twice as many drownings in Lake Michigan as compared to this time last year. The Great Lakes Search and Rescue Project, a nonprofit organization that tracks drownings, said drownings in Lake Michigan are 87% higher this year than at this time in 2018.
According to GLSRP, there have been 28 drownings in Lake Michigan in 2019 so far, compared to 15 last year.
Most recently in West Michigan, Steven Scott Davis, 43, drowned in the water north of Holland State Park on July 27. There were also three drownings near Ludington that occurred within a week of each other—a 14-year-old died at Stearns Beach on July 18, an 18-year-old disappeared in the water near Ludington State Park on July 22 and was later recovered, and a 38-year-old went missing in the water on July 25 at the Big Sable River outlet in Ludington.
To date in 2019, there have been 54 drownings in all the Great Lakes; Lake Michigan had the most drownings, followed by Lake Erie's 12 drownings.
According to GLSRP, 2018 had the highest number of drownings since the group started keeping records in 2010. There have been 794 total drownings since then.
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