SYLVAN LAKE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The body of a missing boater authorities were searching for in Sylvan Lake in Oakland County was found Friday night, the sheriff's office said.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said an older man was last seen by other boaters pulling his boat out around 2:30 p.m. Around 5:15 p.m., a boater saw the man's boat moving on the water with no one inside. That boater captured the drifting boat and pulled it to shore.
The missing man's body was found about 200 feet from shore, the sheriff's office said. More information from officials on the recovery is expected Saturday.
Hear from Bouchard before the recovery in the video below:
The owner's personal items including his keys, wallet and cellphone were found on the boat. Bouchard said the man was a regular boater and lived in the community.
The sheriff said investigators checked the man's home and surrounding areas.
"There's nothing. We've checked the house three times and checked the path in between, but his car is here (near the lake) too," Bouchard said earlier in the night.
Bouchard said the man often went boating with his dog. The dog was not on the boat or at the home. Authorities also searched the area and water for the dog.
Witnesses told officials that the dog is brown; the breed is unclear at this time. It's also unclear if the dog was also found.
Drones, helicopters, boats, divers and sonar were used to search the area. Bouchard said his department reached out to other agencies to assist with the search.
See video of the scene below:
With the boater's point of entry unclear, "the whole lake's at play" in the search, Bouchard said as crews were searching.
"We started to check the path where the boat was found and seen and the area around the docks," the sheriff continued.
Conditions near the lake Friday night were choppy and windy, officials said.
"Not the best for viability deeper into the water," Bouchard said.
However, Bouchard said they'd continue to search until they found the man.
Michigan has seen an unusual amount of drownings this summer. Oakland County has now had 11 incidents.
"This has been a real tough summer on the lakes. This is piling on to that very tragic kind of trend," Bouchard said.
