Sheriff: Search For Missing Boater Now A Recovery Mission

ALGONAC (WWJ) - The search for a man who jumped from a boat to swim in the St. Clair River and never resurfaced has turned into a recovery mission.

St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon says divers are returning to the lake Tuesday morning with sonar equipment to locate the body of the 38-year-old Macomb County man who disappeared underwater Monday evening near the Algonac Harbour Club.

Donnellon told WWJ's Zahra Huber that the man was boating with friends, celebrating the 4th of July, when the group decided to get into the water.

"We had four adults who jumped off of a boat, feet first, into the water. Three of them resurfaced but this gentleman, unfortunately, did not resurface," he said. "There was an extensive search conducted last night and unfortunately this morning we are back out in a recovery mode for this individual."

Donnellon said the water had a fair amount of current at the time and was busy with boat traffic due to the holiday, but it wasn't unusually choppy.

"It is very odd. This isn't a boat that was speeding at high speeds, this wasn't someone struggling in the water that another individual went over to save him and then got into trouble -- which happens consistently," he said. "We're not sure if something may have happened underwater when he went down. There's a lot of unknowns with this one and it is more unusual than most."

The man's name has not yet been released.

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