A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Detroit and the Rocky River Police Department boat search the waters of Lake Erie off Huntington Beach for 7-year-old Michael A. Nesby Monday afternoon. The boy died Monday evening despite resuscitation efforts. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Young swimmer dies despite rescue efforts
By Jeff Gallatin
Bay Village
Published Sept. 3, 2008

A 7-year-old Brookpark boy died as a result of being underwater in rough Lake Erie waters for nearly an hour late Monday afternoon by Huntington Beach after several area safety departments worked to rescue him.

Safety officials said Tuesday morning that Michael A. Nesby had been swimming several hundred feet out in the water when he apparently ran into trouble and went under the surface. The Bay Village City Police were notified at 5:51 p.m. In addition to the city police, the Metroparks Rangers and Coast Guard went to the scene as well as the Bay Village, Avon Lake and Rocky River fire departments.

Dive team members from all three fire departments went into the water and a chain was formed in an effort to get to the youngster. Avon Lake also used recently acquired jet skis to try to get to the youngster, officials said. A Coast Guard helicopter came in from Michigan, while boats also attempted to assist at the scene.

It is the second drowning this summer in Lake Erie waters near Huntington Beach. There were no lifeguards at the beach area, which is standard procedure after mid-August when most return to school and other activities, officials said. Signs saying there are no lifeguards are clearly posted throughout the beach area, officials said.

Captain Martin Garvey of the Bay Village Fire Department said two other people were also in the water with one of them also having to be pulled out of the water and treated at the scene. Garvey said emergency workers worked on the youngster at the scene. A crowd of onlookers watched the event from around the lake area.

He was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 8:47 p.m. Monday.