Body Of Drowning Victim Recovered From Devils Lake

Authorities responded shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday to Devils Lake, Michigan to reports that a man drowned, and by 7:30 p.m. Sunday, they transitioned their search to a recovery mission.

On Monday, the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office released an update and said that at about 5 p.m., divers were able to locate and remove the victim from the water.

The victim was identified as 39-year-old Thomas OLeary.

The man was getting ready to go tubing with his daughter. Before they started, they both fell off the tube, authorities said. The man did not resurface.

The girl was wearing a life vest and is OK, according to officials.

Police initially said the man jumped into the water to help a child who fell off a tube, but now believe they were already in the water when the tube flipped.

Their family was visiting the area with another family from Sylvania for the holiday weekend. They were on a pontoon boat with three to four adults and five to six children, according to Captain Jacob Pifer with the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office.

Emergency crews responded with divers from the sheriff's office, Michigan DNR, and Addison Fire Department. Additional divers from the Somerset Fire Department Jackson County Dive Team are also assisting with the recovery mission. The Liberty Township Fire Department brought its sonar unit to help with the search.

"We're going to be out here until we find him," Pifer said.

Crews suspended the search just before 9 p.m. Sunday night. They will resume Monday morning at 8 a.m. with help from the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department and Michigan State Police.

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