UPDATE: On Friday, July 21, 2017, at approximately 9:30 a.m., divers from the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Marine Patrol, recovered the body of Michael Kandel, age 28, Kalkaska, MI. in Sturgeon Bay, Lake Michigan, in approximately 12 feet of water, near where he was last seen missing.
On Thursday, July 20, 2017, at approximately 4:40 p.m., the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a water rescue incident on Sturgeon Bay, Bliss Township, MI., according to Sheriff Pete Wallin. It was reported that 4 individuals from Wildlife & Wetlands Solutions, Traverse City, MI., were out in the Sturgeon Bay, Lake Michigan, when their boat experienced motor problem, and two individuals were in the water. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and dive team, USCG St. Ignace, USGC Helicopter Traverse City, DNR, Emmet EMS, and Carp Lake Fire Dept., all responded to the scene. Upon arrival, an Emmet County Marine Deputy and the USGC Helicopter located the vessel. The Marine Deputy, who was on a jet ski, was able to locate one of the persons in the water, Scott Mussleman, and pulled him out of the water, and returned him to the disabled vessel. The search for the other person in the water, Michael Kandel, 28 yrs, Kalkaska, MI., continued on. The other persons on the vessel were Matthew Kordy, 27 yrs, Willis, MI., and Ernst Kafkas, 65 yrs, Traverse City, along with Scott Mussleman, were brought back to shore.
The search for Michael Kandel continued on until approximately 2:00 a.m. Friday, July 21, 2017. The USCG remained on the scene. The USGC Helicopter and the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and Dive Team are expected to be back on the scene around 7:00 a.m., Friday, July 21, 2017, to resume searching for Michael Kandel.
