[morbid] Bodies lost in water.....

[Black]

If theoretically someone fell off a boat about 2 miles off shore (theoretically Lake Michigan) and the coast guard theoretically gave up searching.... what would the likelihood be that the body will turn up? Or otherwise asked, is it somewhat typical for the body never to turn up?

[rz]

depends on currents. Why do you want to know? Have someone in mind?

[Paul F.]

Depends on how well you weighted the body...


More seriously;
I don't know anything about lake Michigan currents, but bodies turn up here (Northern California) on shore from time to time after being "missing persons" for weeks, occasionally a bit longer.
Just this morning, a deceased person was found two miles off shore - I think the news story said he was last seen " a couple weeks ago".

[rjmacs]

It depends on how good a plot twist it would make. The better the twist, the more likely that it will turn up. Don't you watch the movies?

[OWC Jamie]

several inches of body fat would likely float and get wind driven to a beach

a leaner body would sink for several days and then the gasses from decomposition would refloat it unless the carcass vented and didn't float. Then the perch and trout might nibble at it.

[Uncle Wig]

Black wrote:
If theoretically someone fell off a boat about 2 miles off shore (theoretically Lake Michigan) and the coast guard theoretically gave up searching.... what would the likelihood be that the body will turn up? Or otherwise asked, is it somewhat typical for the body never to turn up?

What kind of boat?

[gabester]

Look out for those murder cleanup billboards too.

[GGD]

I suspect that these have more details.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Cre...61871.html
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/Coast...63531.html

Uncle Wig wrote:
[quote=Black]
If theoretically someone fell off a boat about 2 miles off shore (theoretically Lake Michigan) and the coast guard theoretically gave up searching.... what would the likelihood be that the body will turn up? Or otherwise asked, is it somewhat typical for the body never to turn up?

What kind of boat?

[cbelt3]

My nephew's body was retrieved some 10 miles downstream from where he fell into the MIssouri river in an accident. 6 months later. They identified him from his wallet and driver's license. In Lake Erie, folks usually wash up on beaches the following spring.

Hope the victim was not a friend.

If an enemy, may I recommend a good grade of cement for overshoes ? :devil:

[Catzilla]

billb wrote:
several inches of body fat would likely float and get wind driven to a beach

a leaner body would sink for several days and then the gasses from decomposition would refloat it unless the carcass vented and didn't float. Then the perch and trout might nibble at it.

Exactly. We have done rescues that became unsuccessful recoveries. Several weeks/days later they surface.