90-year-old man trapped on Lake Chemung in Livingston County dies; Coast Guard rescues fire crews

By WXYZ Web Team, Ruta Ulcinaite

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    GENOA TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXYZ) — A 90-year-old man who the U.S. Coast Guard was called to rescue from Lake Chemung in Livingston County on Wednesday afternoon has died, officials said.

The Coast Guard also helped members of the Brighton Fire Department who were trapped during the rescue efforts.

On Thursday, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office released more information about the incident.

Deputies said the 90-year-old man from the area went out on Lake Chemung to wind sail on the ice and fell through.

The Brighton Fire Department along with the Livingston County Dive Team went to rescue the man but became stuck as well.

“The problem was it was open water yet there’s ice, you couldn’t get there. You couldn’t row. You count get there,” Laura Wildman who lives on the lake said.

Wildman let first responders use her backyard, kayaks and canoes to help in the rescue efforts. She saw firsthand how the firefighters struggled on the lake.

Rescuers were able to get to the man and keep him above water but were not able to remove him.

“It was very remarkable to see, they put themselves out there and it was really scary,” she said. “At one point I think there was at least five different people in the lake. It was horrible. It was a nightmare.”

The Coast Guard flew to the lake to offer assistance and extract the victim along with two firefighters.

“One of our firefighters was in the water with the gentleman for almost an hour and a half and was transported to the hospital with mild hypothermia,” Brighton Area Fire Department Deputy Chief Brian Siriani said. “We had eight fire fighters treated for mild hypothermia.”

The firefighters are all expected to be okay. The exact cause of death for the initial victim is not yet clear.

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