A tragic incident occurred at Port Crescent State Park last Saturday, leading to the death of a 35-year-old man identified as Bruce Flannigan Jr. of Casco in St. Clair County. According to ABC12, Flannigan and his girlfriend were walking through the murky waters of the Pinnebog River when they encountered a sudden drop-off in the river bed, around 4:15 p.m. The Huron County Sheriff's Office reported that heavy rains earlier that day probably accelerated the erosion of the river floor, creating dangerous conditions.
The victim's girlfriend recounted to deputies that their leisure stroll became a fight for survival as the water, with characteristics akin to a rip tide, swept Flannigan away. "The water there was moving fast, as the Pinnebog was draining into the lake after heavy morning rains pounded the area earlier in the morning," she said in a statement obtained by Mid-Michigan NOW. Despite her struggles, the girlfriend managed to escape the treacherous waters, but Flannigan was not as fortunate.
Emergency services received the distress call and a concerted search and rescue effort ensued. The sheriff’s office added that the chaotic weather led to multiple rescues over the weekend, including stranded kayakers who were victims of strong winds. WNEM reported that divers ultimately recovered Flannigan's body after an exhaustive 2 hours and 40 minutes search in approximately 10 feet of water.
Despite immediate resuscitation attempts, Flannigan was pronounced dead at McLaren Thumb Region Hospital in Bad Axe. The weekend's tumultuous weather had first responders attending to various incidents ranging from kayakers in distress to a stranded boater a mile off the coast, who experienced a mechanical failure but was safely towed back by the Caseville Fire Department and sheriff's office marine patrol.
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