Search goes on for elderly man missing in Luce County
Search goes on for elderly man missing in Luce County
By JOHN PEPIN, Journal Munising Bureau
GERMFASK — Members of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Search and Rescue team were returning to Lakefield Township in Luce County today, looking for a local elderly man likely missing since Tuesday night.
Ernest Frederick Lamothe, 83, of Newberry was last seen leaving his sister’s lakeside residence on Luce County Road 480, earlier this week.
“It was reported on (August) third, but it happened on the first,” said Trooper Eric Johnson of the Michigan State Police Newberry post. “He was last seen on the first at about 11:45 p.m.”
Police were notified Lamothe was missing at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
A search was mounted by several agencies using various means, including a K-9 unit from the Alger County Sheriff’s Department and a fixed-wing airplane from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
At about 8 p.m., Lamothe’s brother-in-law Paul Schafer found Lamothe’s vehicle in a ditch at the end of Luce County Road 463, north of County Road 98, police said.
Searchers found no sign of Lamothe in or around the vehicle. A check of local hospitals also came up empty. The search was called off at about 2:45 this morning, but was restarted at about 8 a.m.
The area the search and rescue teams were covering this morning was a place of mixed terrain with forests, fields and swamps located in the area between Big Manistique and Round lakes.
“It’s between the Germfask and Curtis area, about six miles east of Germfask,” said state police Trooper Patrick McNeely of the Newberry post. “They’re out there again today and hopefully, they’ll turn up something.”
Police said Lamothe is diabetic, has poor vision and trouble walking. He is currently being considered by law enforcement as an endangered missing person. Anyone with tips can call the state police Newberry post at 293-5152 — 293-5151 after hours — or the Luce County Sheriff’s office at 293-8431.
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