13-Year-Old’s Death Is a Tragic Reminder of Lake Michigan’s Danger

A day at the beach turned tragic this week after a missing 13-year-old was found dead in Lake Michigan near the Michigan City Lighthouse.

According to MLive, the teen’s body was recovered on Wednesday morning in about 11 feet of water along the east side of the lighthouse pier.

The search actually started Monday evening after reports came in that a young swimmer had disappeared in the water.

See Also: The Most Dangerous Lake in the U.S. is Right Here in Michigan

Why Was Lake Michigan So Dangerous This Week?

Scott Olson/Getty Images

What makes this especially heartbreaking is that conditions were already pretty dangerous.

At the time, the National Weather Service had issued warnings for rough water, strong winds, and dangerous rip currents. Waves in the area were reportedly between 4 and 6 feet, which is no joke, especially near piers where currents can get nasty fast.

I think sometimes people assume that because it’s not the ocean, there’s less to worry about. But that’s obviously not the case. The Great Lakes can be incredibly dangerous (especially Lake Michigan), and every summer we hear tragic stories like this that serve as a brutal reminder.

Search Efforts Were Dangerous Too

Crews spent hours searching for the teen, and the conditions were so rough that the search itself became dangerous.

Three divers from the Michigan City Fire Department were injured during the search and had to be taken to a local hospital.

That alone tells you how rough the water was.

Lake Michigan Can Turn Dangerous Fast

Stories like this are a tough reminder that Lake Michigan can look calm one minute and turn dangerous the next.

A lot of people treat the Great Lakes like giant swimming pools, but they’re really more like inland oceans. Between sudden drop-offs, strong currents, and rip tides, things can go sideways in a hurry.