By DAVE SCHULTZ
A fatal boat accident at a Michigan Christian youth camp occurred Wednesday while some Wells County residents were present at the camp. The victim, however, was not one of the Wells County campers.
Some of the campers at the Michindoh Conference Center were from Hope Missionary Church in Bluffton, but a church employee said Thursday afternoon that the girl who died was not one of the church’s children at the camp.
The only information about the girl’s identity is that she was 11 years old and is from Indiana. Katie Gervasi, a communications representative for the Law Enforcement Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said identification of the victim will be delayed.
“We are not releasing additional information about the victim or other involved individuals at this time, as this is an ongoing investigation and many family members are involved who need to be communicated with first,” she said in an email.
Camp Michindoh is east of Hillsdale, Mich., about two hours from Bluffton.
According to information provided by the Michigan DNR, a Michindoh camp employee was operating a motorized craft which was pulling a “banana boat,” described as a non-motorized inflatable tube ride. A spotter on the motorized craft, serving as a spotter, saw three children fall off the boat. However, unknown to the motorized craft operator and the spotter, a fourth child had fallen off the boat. The motorized craft, a Supra Sunsport, struck the girl as the craft went back to pick up the other three children in the water.
The girl was taken to Hillsdale County Hospital where she died from her injuries, the news release from the DNR said.
The DNR said the 25-year-old powerboat operator had a Michigan boater safety certificate and is cooperating with the investigation.
daves@news-banner.com
