COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A man who was kayaking in the channel between South and Cemetery Lakes on the west side of Coldwater flipped over and apparently drowned on Thursday night.
Coldwater Police are investigating. They say the victim was 26-year-old Alec Walter Beaumont of Sherwood.
The Branch County Sheriff’s Department dive team was called at about 6:20 p.m. to the Pilot Knob area. Coldwater Police and Fire also responded along with the Michigan State Police.
WWMT-TV reports the dive team was called after someone saw a kayaker flip and call for help. Rescue efforts were attempted by witnesses and Coldwater Police Officers but conditions proved to be difficult.
The man did not resurface and Beaumont’s body was found at about 9:30 p.m. in about 20 feet of water near the location where he went under.
A Michigan State Police helicopter was brought in to help with the search. It flew around the area for nearly an hour and hovered at times just west of Heritage Park while Thursday night softball games were being played.
With the rainy spring and early summer, lake and river levels throughout Michigan are high. Just in the past week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources warned kayakers and people in canoes to be aware of fast flowing waters and that the higher water may make it more challenging to go under low hanging obstacles.
