16-year-old Eliza Trainer went missing at Holland MI State Park January 1st when she and a friend were swept off the pier by a large wave.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Dive Team along with Michigan State Police Dive Team have been out when the weather and lake conditions would allow, with no luck in locating Eliza.
We were contacted by family members and agreed to search for Eliza. The unusual warm winter allowed us to put in at a dock that would normally be frozen in with ice, this time of year.
Todd G. and I, traveled to Holland, MI on Jan. 27 and were met by our good friend Drew M. from Muskegon, MI. The winds have the water visibility down to 1’ or less. The very large rocks along the pier have many cave-like impressions in the search area. This, along with very low visibility, make for a very tough search. We were able to search 4 days with no luck in locating Eliza.
I am so thankful that Todd and Drew were able to help in these challenging conditions. This was Todd’s first experience in a boat on Lake Michigan and was pretty sick most of the week, but did not give up. It was always cold, and someone had to be standing out on the back of the boat tending the ROV cable.
Our sincere condolences are with Eliza’s family and friends.