A father and his teenage son tragically drowned in Cheboygan County's Burt Lake on Saturday, as reported by CBS News Detroit. The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office responded to a distress call at approximately 3:21 p.m. near Maple Bay Campground, where witnesses stated a 16-year-old boy and his 54-year-old father, both from Levering, were in distress in the water. According to the reports, the teen had been submerged for about seven minutes before his father entered the water to attempt a rescue and began to drown.
UpNorthLive reported that the Cheboygan County Marine Patrol, alongside assistance from bystanders, located the 54-year-old man underwater and shortly after, recovered the teenager. Onlookers at a scene described the frantic efforts to save the two, but despite emergency life-saving measures at Maple Bay Boat Launch, the father was pronounced dead at the scene. The son, transported to McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, also did not survive and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Further details provided by MLive note that drugs and alcohol were not suspected to be factors in the incident. The ongoing investigation continues to piece together the events leading up to the double drowning. In the wake of this tragedy, the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office released a statement extending "condolences to the families affected by this tragic event," and emphasized the importance of water safety to prevent future tragedies.
.jpg){kind=link}