(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
On September 10th, 2024, around 11:30 am, the United States Coast Guard received and relayed a distress call from a vessel at the S.S. Wisconsin shipwreck regarding a scuba diver who had not returned to the surface. Numerous agencies responded to assist. The search for the missing diver soon became a recovery operation due to the amount of time that the diver had been missing. On September 11th, around 10:15 am, the missing scuba diver was recovered. The diver has been positively identified as 72-year-old Patrick Kelly of Winthrop Harbor, IL.
The diver had been diving the shipwreck of the S.S. Wisconsin off the Village of Pleasant Prairie coastline approximately 6 miles out in water over 120 feet deep. When Mr. Kelly did not resurface when he was scheduled to do so, his wife, who was on board their vessel, sent out a distress call requesting immediate help.
Immediately upon receiving this distress call, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, Pleasant Prairie Fire Department, the United States Coast Guard, and numerous other agencies deployed their rescue boats to the dive location. Due to poor water conditions, the recovery efforts on September 10th were postponed around 5:00 pm until the morning of September 11th when conditions were safer.
Using a combination of sonar and several Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Mr. Kelly was located approximately 125ft below the surface on the bottom of Lake Michigan in the area of the S.S. Wisconsin. Recovery efforts were successful in bringing Mr. Kelly back to the surface.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department would like to thank all the agencies who responded to assist in this technical recovery. Assisting agencies came from the counties of: Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee., Walworth, Lake Co. IL, McHenry Co. IL, Cook Co., IL, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the United States Coast Guard, and the community members who also assisted in this recovery.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department extends our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and the diving community who were all impacted by this tragic event. The Kenosha Human Development Services – Crisis Line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. If anyone needs someone to talk to, the Crisis Line is always available: 262-657-7188.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
28 Responses
Kevin,
How about a story on how the Kenosha Coast Guard station is unmanned again except for an occasional patrol. They left a few yeas ago and came back after boater/elected official out cry. The nearest boat comes out of Milwaukee. The Coast Guard seasonal helicopter doesn’t seem to be stationed out of Waukegan Airport on a regular basis either. Lake Michigan is a very busy recreational and sportsman lake and deserves better Coastie services.
Thats what cutbacks do. Milwaukee has a bigger boat out of the water and not in use in their lot.
The feds need more $$$, care to donate some more of yours? There’s Ukraine Israel to help, they will need our financial support for many decades to come! Plus $1Trillion in interest per year that’s surely going to stabilize 🤣🤣 NOTHING STOPS THIS TRAIN
Soon, we’ll all be eating cats!
Great coverage of a sad story.
Sidebar: As a practical matter, I’m nowhere near as old as that guy, and I wouldn’t even drive on the interstate let alone go scuba diving. That’s risky business. Man has no business being in the air or under water — especially at that age. Way too risky.
(Bird Watcher)
Judging other people’s abilities based on age and your
own inabilities, is anything but a practical matter.
FIY, two lane highways and surface roads are
more dangerous than the interstate.
Show some respect for people that haven’t
given up living, just because you think they’re old.
It’s much better than getting old, because you’ve given up living.
You do realize that the poor man passed, right? What is wrong with you?
What is wrong with you?
You do know this man was an experienced and seasoned diver, right? What gives you the right to judge him on what he loved doing? Obviously he knew the risks involved in every dive and was ok with that. Let him rest in peace.
My comment won’t disturb him, you goof.
As a fellow diver, I’m SHOCKED that he didn’t use the buddy system while diving. It’s one of the most important rules. a 120′ dive is no joke and extremely dangerous even in the best conditions.
Heart felt condolences to his family and a big thank you to the Rescue 🛟 Teams that help provide closure by recovering his remains. ❤️
Been on the Wisconsin & is no easy dive given cold water and at best poor light conditions. EVERY diver knows ALWAYS a buddy. I am so sorry for his wife and FAMILY! GOD BLESS YOU ALL !
No one is talking about how one of the sheriffs boats sank? Is that not a big deal ?
(Jenny W)
You are a heartless individual.
My point is why does the county have such poor equipment that their boat just sunk? Of course I agree they should do everything to find this person.
(Anonymous):
I wasn’t addressing you.
you were, that was the same person goof
(???): Of course it was. It was you.
Oldest trick in the book.
but it wasn’t me, I am not them.
The boat was not intended for Lake Michigan and the wave conditions that day. Might have been overloaded?
I agree. We have to now pay for a new boat and gear- but that somehow doesn’t matter? Yes, it’s tragic this man died but we cannot oversee such things.
It’s like all the missing money pointed out the day before 9/11. No one cares now?
Inside job
Jenny W, don’t bother replying to a crank who identifies as a punctuation mark and goes around judging people. This guy is a goofball.
Igualmente
(Bird Watcher):
I watch birds too.
My freezer is full of them.
Stock up before the Haitians come to town
Bahahaha well played!
Before, or after I stock up at Cabela’s?