Coroner IDs man recovered from Dayton lake

Rescue crews from Dayton, Piqua and Wright Patterson Air Force Base search a lake near Action Sports Monday, July 1, 2024 in Dayton. A swimmer was seen struggling in the water Sunday evening. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

Rescue crews from Dayton, Piqua and Wright Patterson Air Force Base search a lake near Action Sports Monday, July 1, 2024 in Dayton. A swimmer was seen struggling in the water Sunday evening. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

A swimmer whose body was recovered from a Dayton lake Monday morning has been identified.

Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger identified him as 47-year-old Michael Fink.

Fink was reportedly swimming at the lake near Action Sports Center on Gateway Drive Sunday evening when he started to struggle.

The Dayton Fire Department was called to a water rescue at 7:44 p.m.

Fink was swimming while his family on the shore when he began to experience issues and went under water, said Dayton Fire Department District Chief Nick Judge.

“It looks like very unassuming, calm water but it’s bigger than it looks,” he said.

Witnesses indicated Fink got tired while swimming and then went under. He was too far from the shore for anyone in the immediate area to help him, Judge added.

Rescue crews from Dayton, Piqua and Wright Patterson Air Force Base search a lake near Action Sports Monday, July 1, 2024 in Dayton. A swimmer was seen struggling in the water Sunday evening. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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He did not have a personal flotation device with him.

Crews used sonar devices and performed multiple underwater dives Sunday. The search was suspended after around 90 minutes due to the dark and transitioned to a recovery operation, according to the fire department.

They returned after sunrise Monday with multiple boats. Because they were searching areas that were 35 feet deep and too dark for underwater drones, crews utilized sonar technology.

Once they had an idea of where Fink was, the limited visibility still made it difficult for crews to retrieve his body, Judge said. Fink’s body was recovered around 11:36 a.m.

In addition to the Dayton Fire Department, the Piqua Fire Department Dive Team, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Fire Department Dive Team, Dayton Police Department and Ohio Department of Natural Resources were also at the scene.

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