The remains of a lone boater who went missing in Lake St. Clair have been recovered, according to the Essex County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). The body of a 38-year-old man from Windsor was located at approximately 4:35 p.m. on Sunday by members of the OPP West Region's underwater search and recovery unit, alongside Essex County marine units.
Police reported that the man was last seen on Saturday evening in distress in Lake St. Clair near the Belle River Marina in Lakeshore. The Essex County detachment of the OPP responded at about 7:43 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a report of an overdue boater.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre and the Canadian Coast Guard joined the search, along with OPP marine and emergency response teams. The search continued through Sunday before the man was located. Police did not release the name of the deceased.
In a statement, the OPP thanked emergency service partners, local residents, and members of the boating community for their assistance during the search. "Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with all family members and friends at this time," police said in a news release on Monday. No further details were immediately available.
Separate Rescue on Detroit River
In a separate incident earlier on Saturday, three boaters were rescued after their vessel started to flood on the Detroit River. The Windsor Police Service marine unit was dispatched shortly after 8 a.m. to a report of a vessel in distress south of Belle Isle.
While officers were en route, police learned that the boat had become partially submerged and the three occupants were attempting to remove water from the vessel. By the time the marine unit arrived, the boaters had been rescued by two nearby fishermen.
Police stated that the three boaters, all U.S. citizens, were uninjured. They were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard and returned to Michigan, according to police. The vessel was later recovered and towed back to the United States.
