×

Diver’s body found in shipwreck in Lake Michigan

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Authorities have found the body of a diver who went missing while exploring a Lake Michigan shipwreck.

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release that authorities recovered the body of 72-year-old Patrick Kelly of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, from the area around the S.S. Wisconsin on Wednesday morning.

The agency said Kelly had been exploring the wreck in more than 120 feet of water about 6 miles off the coast of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on Tuesday when he failed to resurface. His wife was on the couple’s boat and sent a distress call.

Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, had to suspend their search Tuesday due to poor lake conditions. They eventually located the body Wednesday morning using sonar and several remotely operated robotic vehicles.

The S.S. Wisconsin steamer sank in 1929 during a gale. Nine crew members were killed. The captain was pulled from the water but later died on shore, according to the Wisconsin Shipwrecks website.

Starting at $3.50/week.

Subscribe Today