The search is on for a Detroit man believed to have drowned in Lake Michigan Monday afternoon.

Coast Guard Search and Rescue specialist Charles Wolfson says 27-year-old Anupam Bhattacharjee was swept off the break wall inside the harbor in Ludington. He says they got a distress call from a vessel in the area who tried to save the man.

“The person on scene threw a life ring to the gentleman. Initially he was able to grab onto the life ring. Before Coast Guards could arrive at the scene, or the good Samaritan could assist, he let go of the life ring and unfortunately he went under,” said Wolfson.

“It was reported the waves were any where from six to seven foot outside the harbor. The gentleman that reported the distress call said he saw a large wave come over the wall and knock him off the wall and into the water,” said Wolfson.

He says people need to be careful when they’re around water in this kind of weather.

“Try to be safe and be conscious of what the weather is doing. And when the weather is blowing hard, and the waves are breaking, stay away from the break walls,” said Wolfson.

Bhattacharjee is a computer science Ph.D. student at Wayne State University.

Copyright, 2010. WWJ Newsradio 950, All Rights Reserved.