Michigan Man, 81, Dies After Crashing His Ice Sailboat, Authorities Say

Ice Sailboat Crash
The man crashed his vessel about 100 yards from shore, authorities said.Oakland County Sheriff's Office

A Michigan man, 81, died after crashing his ice sailboat on Lake Pontiac, authorities said.

An 81-year-old Michigan man died after crashing his ice sailboat, authorities announced Sunday.

Dan Erwin Campbell was navigating a 27-foot vessel when he crashed about 100 yards from shore on Lake Pontiac, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said.

Campbell was wearing a helmet and face guard, but he apparently slammed his head on the ice, the sheriff's office said.

Rescuers transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

An autopsy was scheduled for Monday, the sheriff's office said.

Ice sailboats, which operate on metal runners, can skim frozen surfaces at speeds surpassing 60 mph.

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