(PORTER) – Indiana Conservation Officers are searching Lake Michigan for 23-year-old South Bend resident Jacob Sandy. On Monday, South Bend Police took a missing person report after Sandy did not return home from kayaking on Lake Michigan Saturday afternoon.
Information including a description of Sandy’s vehicle was shared with surrounding agencies. On Tuesday afternoon, an Indiana Dunes National Park Ranger located the vehicle in a private parking lot near Porter Beach. Officers from the Porter Police Department responded and determined Sandy was not in the immediate area. Members of the Porter Fire Department assisted in the search of the area and personnel from Indiana Dunes State Park confirmed Sandy was not in the state park.
Review of security footage confirmed Sandy was in the area of Porter Beach at around 2:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon. A witness also observed Sandy kayaking offshore a short time before a strong storm came into the area.
Indiana Conservation Officers began a search of Lake Michigan on Wednesday morning, conducting surface and sonar searches. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit is also assisting by conducting surface searches by helicopter. Members of the Porter Fire Department have been conducting periodic searches of the shoreline.
As of the time of this release, neither Sandy nor his kayak have been located. Sandy was last seen Saturday afternoon in a light-colored Oru kayak (photo of kayak attached). Anyone with any information is asked to contact Indiana Conservation Officers Central Dispatch Center at 812-837-9536.
Indiana Conservation Officers are being assisted by Porter Police Department, Porter Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and South Bend Police Department.
