Great Lakes Drownings Total 7 Over Labor Day Weekend

Eighty-eight people have drowned in the Great Lakes this year, one more than in all of 2011.

The data comes from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a group that is comprised of "Great Lakes surfers dedicated to reducing drowning incidents on the Great Lakes," according to the organization's website. 

Seven occurred over Labor Day weekend, including the Port Washington death of 15-year-old .

Drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and nearly 80 percent of the people who die from drowning are male. Another Port Washington resident, 24-year-old Pete Doughtery, in March.

The CDC sites a number of factors that result in drowning deaths, such as a lack of swimming ability and not wearing a life jacket. The incidents are a preventable tragedy, according to Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project Executive Director Dave Benjamin.

"How many more of these stories will we have to hear before water safety becomes a top priority on the Great Lakes?” Benjamin said in a press release. "These drowning numbers do not happen on the East Coast or West Coast combined, and 99 percent of drownings are preventable."

Here is a look at the seven deaths that occured over the holiday weekend:

• On Thursday, 16-year-old Brian Rolston, of Lake Leelanau, MI, was lost in the water while swimming with his family, according to UpNorthLive.com. Family members said they didn't see him go under, or head to the shore. His body was found on Friday.
• On Friday, 31-year-old Jeremy Gerber died while swimming near Sauble Beach in Ontario, Canada, according to CVT News in Toronto. High winds had created waves of about 3-feet in the lake.
• On Saturday, 36-year-old Paul DeTrano, of Chicago, died while swimming near Holland Beach in Michigan, according to WoodTV.com. His body was spotted by a helicopter on Tuesday, about 200 yards from shore.
• On Sunday, the Great Lakes took three lives — including that of 15-year-old . Karl Schmidt, 60, of Freedom died while saving his grandson who was swimming in Lake Michigan in Sheboygan, according to the Sheboygan Press. In Lake Huron, 53-year-old Gordon Van Dyke drowned after jumping from his boat, according IFPress.com.
• On Monday, a 29-year-old man went missing in Lake Erie, according to Catham-Kent News.

What's your take? 

What do you think needs to be done to help prevent the growing number of drownings? Tell us in the comments.

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