According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, more than 1,350 people have drowned in the Great Lakes over the last 15 years, nearly half in Lake Michigan.
The tragedies involved circumstances of all sorts.
Swimmers being pulled out into open water by rip currents.
People being overcome by waves or currents while trying to rescue others.
People being washed off piers.
Boaters and kayakers falling overboard without life jackets.
In some cases, the only report is when a body is located. Such was the case on June 5, 2025, when someone in Sturgeon Bay called 911 to report a man's body was found in the water between the Michigan Street Bridge and the Door County Maritime Museum.
Are the Great Lakes safe to swim in?
Dave Benjamin, founder and executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a non-profit that tracks drownings in all five Great Lakes, says that about a third of all Great Lakes drownings are related to dangerous currents, while the other two-thirds involve people getting into water over their heads and not knowing how to survive.
According to the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium, dangerous currents and breaking waves are common in the Great Lakes, though rip currents and others found near piers are especially dangerous for swimmers and can lead to drownings.
Rip currents will not pull a swimmer under the water; instead, it will carry them out to the open water, away from shore.
How to escape a rip current
To escape this rip, experts offer what's known as the "3 F's Rule" — Flip. Float. Follow the safest path back to shore.
They warn not to fight the current, but swim to the side.
Many Lake Michigan beaches also have signs on the dangers of rip currents that illustrate the hourglass shape of a rip current as it extends from a beach. Experts say the relatively simple way to survive this current is to float, stay as calm as possible and don’t fight it.
Related: Tips on how to escape a rip current in Lake Michigan, or help a struggling swimmer
Why Lake Michigan is especially dangerous
Lake Michigan isn't the biggest of the Great Lakes as far as surface area, but it is the largest by area to be located entirely by one country. Lake Michigan creates a natural boundary for four states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Lake Michigan isn't even the southern most of the Great Lakes; that would be Lake Erie.
But it has its share of drownings and near-drownings.
In 2020, the state of Michigan saw more than 30 current-related incidents, while Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana saw fewer than five, according to the National Weather Service.
For this year through July 22, 2025, Wisconsin has had one death, according to the rescue project. Indiana and Michigan have had three; Illinois has had 13.
The National Weather Service notes, however, that the number of current incidents and drownings in Lake Michigan must be kept relative to how many people visit its beaches each year.
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For example, Holland sees more drownings than any other beach town in Michigan — 15 over the last 15 years — but Holland State Park sees around 2 million visitors every year.
"These beaches are all safe and fun to swim at," the National Weather Service states on its website. "But beachgoers must remain alert to the changing weather and wave conditions, and heed the advice of park patrol and lifeguards."
And there's the rub.
Many beaches along Lake Michigan do not have lifeguards.
Related: Lifeguards are needed, yet nowhere to be found on beaches. Why?
How to be safe on beaches?
The Wisconsin DNR has several tips for being safe while visiting beaches. Here are two main ones:
Never swim alone
Stay in designated swimming areas
Also, check the beach for advisories such as rip currents or E. coli advisories before heading out.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why Lake Michigan is America's deadliest lake
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