Sept. 18--The Lisle man whose body was found floating in Lake Michigan following a weekend kayak fishing tournament died from drowning and hypothermia, a Wisconsin coroner said Thursday.
But an autopsy on Max Boheme did not shed any light on how the Lisle man became separated from his kayak, Manitowoc County Coroner Curtis Green said.
Boheme, 24, did not show any sign of incapacitating trauma, and the post-mortem examination did not detect any significant medical issues, Green said. A preliminary toxicology test also was negative, the coroner said.
"It was likely the hypothermia he succumbed to along with the drowning," Green said.
Boheme was found floating face down about a quarter-mile from shore last Saturday afternoon, about three hours after he failed to check in at the end of a kayak fishing tournament near Manitowoc. His kayak was floating some distance from where Boheme's body was found, authorities said
He was wearing a life jacket, but Green said the 61-degree water temperature could be fatal in 15-20 minutes to someone like Boheme, who was not wearing a wetsuit or other specialized clothing.
His parents and girlfriend were at the tournament and began to worry when Boheme failed to check in along with the other participants. Eventually, the Coast Guard launched a helicopter and searchers spotted his body about 4:45 p.m.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
