NILES, Mich. — Police have identified a kayaker who drowned Wednesday morning after overturning on the St. Joseph River.
It happened around 8:30 a.m. near the dam at French Paper in Niles. Emergency crews were called to the scene after a group of four kayakers overturned.
Three of them were able to get out of the water or be rescued but the fourth was swept downstream. After about four hours of extensive searching, he was found in the water and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
On Thursday, police identified the kayaker who drowned as 40-year-old Jean Mutabazi of South Bend Indiana.
