Ohio Man Drowns at Benzie County Beach - Northern Michigan's News Leader

Ohio Man Drowns at Benzie County Beach

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High waves and powerful currents are blamed for four deaths on Lake Michigan over the weekend.

One man died at a beach in Benzie County.

Kevin Schlake and his brother-in-law went in the water to rescue two of his nephews.

Schlake managed to save one before being swept out by a rip current and drowning. His brother-in-law survived and saved the other boy.

The drowning happened just before 5:00p.m. Sunday night along the lakeshore in Benzie County near Frankfort.

A park ranger with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore found Schlake's body in five feet of water near Peterson Beach about 60 feet from shore.

Sheriff Rory Heckman says sadly they see these tragedies every year. He says you can reduce the risk of getting caught in a rip current by never swimming alone, not going over your head in rough surf, and knowing how to escape. The sheriff says you should swim parallel to shore to escape a rip current before trying to return to dry land.

The National Weather Service says rip currents can even sweep away strong swimmers at speeds up to eight feet per second.

9 and 10's Kyle Mitchell and photojournalist Tony Zyber have more on the tragedy how to stay safe.