The community of Grand Haven is mourning the profound loss of two of its residents, Daniel Meyers, 65, and Jason Aemmer, 49, whose bodies were tragically recovered from Round Lake in Mason County, Michigan, after their snowmobiles broke through the treacherous ice on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The incident began as a missing persons report around 12:30 a.m. Sunday when family members could not contact the two men, who were believed to be traveling on snowmobile trails in neighboring Lake County.
The initial search was focused there but was expanded into eastern Mason County around 4:30 a.m. after a crucial finding. A searcher located snowmobile tracks on Sugar Grove Road leading directly onto the ice of Round Lake in Sheridan Township, but disturbingly, no tracks were observed leaving the lake.
The Grueling Search and Recovery Operation
Due to heavy snow and the darkness of the early morning, first responders—a multi-agency team including the Mason and Lake County Sheriff’s Offices, Michigan State Police, and multiple fire departments—were forced to suspend the search on the lake surface until first light.
The search resumed with renewed vigor on Sunday morning. Rescuers quickly spotted a snowmobile helmet several hundred yards offshore. Using a drone, police were able to confirm the presence of a hole in the ice near the helmet.
The recovery operation was extremely hazardous due to the thin and unstable ice. Rescuers attempting to reach the area continually fell through the surface. To safely navigate the unstable conditions, an airboat from the Manistee County Sheriff’s Office was deployed.
Dive teams from the Michigan State Police and Mason County Sheriff’s Office were also called in. Despite the precautions, one State Police diver fell through the ice but was immediately pulled to safety thanks to a tether to another diver, highlighting the peril faced by the recovery crews.
Both Daniel Meyers and Jason Aemmer were ultimately recovered from approximately six feet of icy water, with their two submerged snowmobiles located nearby.
