14-year-old killed by boat propeller after falling into Michigan lake, officials say

A teenage boy is dead after he fell into a lake and was struck by a boat propeller, Michigan officials say.

A call for help came into the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office at 8:31 a.m. Tuesday, July 30, following a boating accident on Lake Huron, the office said in a news release.

Officials said a 14-year-old boy fell off a boat and into the water between Drummond Island and Howard Island. While in the water, he was run over by a boat and “became tangled in the propeller,” the sheriff’s office said.

The woman operating the boat acted quickly, shutting off the engine and jumping into the lake to save the boy, then waving down a passing fisherman, officials said. Together, they pulled the teen out of the water, took him to Drummond Island and turned him over to first responders.

Despite the efforts of everyone involved, the boy was pronounced dead a short time later, according to officials.

“Please keep the victim’s family and boat operator in your thoughts and prayers,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that an investigation is underway.

Drummond Island is in far northern Michigan, close to the Canadian border. Fewer than 1,000 people live there, and it is a roughly 360-mile drive north from Detroit.

This story was originally published August 1, 2024 at 4:26 PM with the headline "14-year-old killed by boat propeller after falling into Michigan lake, officials say."