Fourth of July drowning numbers released, officials warn of dangerous water conditions

SOUTH HAVEN, MI — Following the Fourth of July weekend, the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project released new numbers for 2020 drownings in the Great Lakes.

According to the GLSRP, the Great Lakes had several drowning incidents over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, several of which were on Lake Michigan:

Lake Michigan

1. 07/04/2020 – Sleeping Bear Dunes, swimming to a sandbar.
2. 07/05/2020 – Zion, IL - Illinois Beach State Park, swimming with no lifeguards
   
3. 07/05/2020 – Zion, IL, swimming, condition unknown.
   
4. 07/06/2020 – Evanston, IL, swimming.
5. 07/06/2020 – Chicago, swimming, critical condition.
   

Lake Erie

1. 07/04/2020 – Sandusky, OH, condition unknown, swimming from the boat.

As of Tuesday, July 7, the GLSRP had tracked 25 drowning incidents on the Great Lakes in 2020:

2020

• Lake Michigan = 13 (+3 unknown condition)
• Lake Superior = 1
• Lake Huron = 0
• Lake Erie = 6 (+1 unknown condition)
• Lake Ontario = 4 (+1 missing)

In 2019, they tracked 97 total drowning incidents on the Great Lakes:

2019

• Lake Michigan = 48
• Lake Superior = 5
• Lake Huron = 8
• Lake Erie = 28
• Lake Ontario = 8

With warm water temperatures early in the summer season, GLSRP Executive Director Dave Benjamin believed the Great Lakes would see a turbulent summer surf season.

“If the current wind forecast for Sunday holds true, Lake Michigan will have high and turbulent surf, especially for the south end of the Lake. North winds over 20 mph for more than 9 hours will have the whole lake moving," Benjamin said.

Fire crews searched Lake Michigan Tuesday night for a person who fell into the water near the Museum Campus.

As of 10 p.m., firefighters were on the scene in the lake near the Shedd Aquarium.

There were no reports late Tuesday of the person being found.

Fourth of July weekend:

• Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office identifies teen dead in Gull Lake boating crash
• West Michigan authorities respond to hundreds of fireworks calls over holiday weekend
• No injuries reported by fire officials during three weekend fires in Battle Creek

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