MAPLE VALLEY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An 81-year-old man from Coral, Michigan, tragically died Wednesday after falling through thin ice on Spruce Lake, located southeast of Howard City. Authorities say the man, whose identity has not been released, was discovered submerged under about 12 feet of water, approximately 20 yards from the shore.
According to the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. when the man arrived at his cottage on the lake. After a period of time with no contact, his wife went to check on him, but was unable to find him. She then reached out to other family members for help. After a search, the family noticed broken ice on the lake near the cottage and called 911 at approximately 6:10 p.m.
The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team responded to the scene and recovered the man’s body from the water. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators believe the man had been working on his dock, a task he frequently performed during the winter months, even when the lake was still covered in ice. Deputies suspect that it was during this activity that he fell through the unsafe ice.
The Sheriff’s Office issued a statement Thursday urging the public to avoid going out on the ice, especially with the recent warmer weather, which has made it dangerous and unstable. “Most ice is unsafe due to the recent warm weather,” the release warned.
This incident serves as a somber reminder of the hazards posed by ice during fluctuating temperatures, urging residents to exercise extreme caution when near frozen bodies of water.
