Recovery of Missing Diver at S.S. Wisconsin Shipwreck

Pleasant Prairie, WI (WLIP)–A missing scuba diver at the S.S. Wisconsin shipwreck was recovered on September 11th, 2024, following an extensive search and recovery operation.

The incident began on September 10th around 11:30 am when a distress call was sent after 72-year-old Patrick Kelly of Winthrop Harbor, IL, failed to resurface during a dive off the Village of Pleasant Prairie coast, approximately six miles from shore.

Numerous agencies, including the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, Pleasant Prairie Fire Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard, responded immediately but were forced to postpone recovery efforts due to poor water conditions by 5:00 pm.

Recovery resumed the next morning, and at around 10:15 am, Kelly’s body was located 125 feet below Lake Michigan using sonar and remotely operated vehicles.

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department thanked the multiple agencies from across Wisconsin and Illinois for their assistance in the successful recovery.