Mason County, MI (WGHN) – The Mason County Sheriff’s Office have released the names of the two men who died Sunday. The bodies of Daniel Meyers, 65, and Jason Aemmer, 49, were recovered after the men were reported missing overnight. Both were from Grand Haven.
Family members told deputies the men may have been snowmobiling in Lake County. Around 12:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities were notified they were missing. The search expanded into eastern Mason County around 4:30 a.m., where investigators found snowmobile tracks leading onto Round Lake in Sheridan Township, about 20 miles northeast of Ludington. There were no tracks leaving the lake.
Search crews spotted what appeared to be a helmet on the ice several hundred yards offshore. A drone later confirmed a hole in the ice and the presence of the helmet. Rescue attempts were initially hampered by unstable ice conditions, with responders repeatedly falling through.
With the help of an airboat, the Michigan State Police Dive Team and the Mason County Sheriff’s Dive Team were able to access the area. During the operation, a state police diver fell through the ice. While assisting that diver, crews located the two victims in approximately six feet of water, along with two submerged snowmobiles.
Meyers was the chairman of Arts and Humanities at Muskegon Community College, where he had worked for 15 years. In a statement, MCC President Dr. John Selmon described Meyers as a passionate educator, talented musician, and dedicated leader whose commitment to student success impacted countless lives.
The Grand Haven Tribune reports that Grand Haven Area Public Schools confirmed Meyers was the husband of Melissa Meyers, the orchestra director at Grand Haven High School. Because of this loss — and the death of White Pines Intermediate School Principal Mike Shelton earlier the same day — the district announced it is postponing all concerts scheduled for the week.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Aemmer worked as a home buyer for Meijer.
An article published by the Mason County Press reports the Meyers family owned a cottage on Round Lake.
The incident remains under investigation.
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