Body of kayaker recovered in PM River.

Body of kayaker recovered in PM River.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

BRANCH TOWNSHIP — Mason County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol deputies recovered the body of Nicholas Howard King, 64, of Commerce Township, about 10 a.m. today, Friday, July 31, 2020 in the Pere Marquette River. According to Sheriff Kim Cole, King’s kayak was discovered by passersby in the river about 8:45 p.m. Thursday, July 30, about one mile south of Budzynski Road. The kayak had been overturned with indications that it had been recently occupied, Cole said.

Mason County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, MCSO Marine Patrol, Branch Township Fire Department, and Custer Fire Department were dispatched to the area and a search took place until 2 a.m. Friday with no results, Cole said.

At 7:00 a.m., searchers resumed efforts to find the victim. King’s body was located approximately 200 yards downstream (west) of where the kayak had been located the last night.  The victim was wearing a life jacket.

A cause of death has yet to be determined and the body has been turned over to WMED Medical Examiner’s Office.

Also assisting at the scene were Michigan State Police- Hart Post, Michigan Department of Natural Resources law enforcement (conservation officers), and Life EMS.

King’s death is the second water-related death to take place in Mason County in 2020. Nathan Troy Munsey, 47, of Goodrich died on July 18 when he stepped off a moving pontoon boat on Round Lake, and did not re-surface. His body was recovered the following day following an extensive search of the lake.

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