PORT SHELDON TOWNSHIP, MICH. – A double drowning occurred at Lake Michigan’s shoreline in Ottawa County on Saturday, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. The incident happened near a pier in Port Sheldon Township, where a group of friends had been staying in the area.

Authorities say several individuals, including 24-year-old Philip Lochirco, jumped from a pier into Lake Michigan on Saturday. Lochirco began struggling in the water and went under. Officials say 26-year-old Jalen Shaffer then entered the water in an attempt to help his friend. During the rescue attempt, both men went underwater and did not resurface.

Investigation Ongoing

Emergency personnel responded to the scene, but both men were later recovered and pronounced dead. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office says no foul play is suspected, and the incident is being investigated as a drowning.

Friends, coaches, and colleagues are remembering Shaffer and Lochirco as former football players at Wheaton College, a private NCAA Division III institution in Wheaton, Illinois. Shaffer had recently been working with Bridge Street Ministries, a youth-focused nonprofit organization in Grand Rapids.

Ryan Waalkes, executive director of the organization, said Shaffer was known for his consistency and calm demeanor. “In the three years that I knew him, I never once heard him complain,” Waalkes said. “He showed up for the team and for the kids, and whenever he showed up, he brought calm and a steadiness.”

Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.