MUSKEGON, MI – Police have confirmed that the body recovered from Lake Michigan in Ottawa County Thursday is that of a man who went missing in Muskegon last month.

Ramal Roby, 30, of Muskegon Heights went missing the evening of Feb. 26 after walking onto unstable ice at Muskegon’s Pere Marquette Park.

His body was recovered from Lake Michigan near Holland the afternoon of Thursday, March 16, said Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis.

“I’m just so thankful for the family that we’re able to get him back to them,” Lewis told MLive.

Roby disappeared after venturing out onto ice along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Muskegon around 8 p.m. and failed to return. A companion called authorities who searched for two hours using a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

By the time searchers returned the following day, most of the ice had disappeared, allowing divers to enter the water to search.

Since then, there have been ongoing searches, including several dive missions and helicopter searches, Lewis said. A Michigan State Police helicopter conducted low-flying missions earlier this week, Lewis said.

“We looked and looked for him,” Lewis said.

Ottawa County deputies responded about 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 26, to the 100 block of Lakeshore Drive in Park Township after someone called police to report what appeared to be a body floating in the water near the shoreline.

Police were able to recover the body from the area near Tunnel Park.

Ice conditions were “treacherous” when Roby went missing, with multiple holes in the ice, floating ice floes and 10-foot drop-offs, Lewis said.

“I just truly believe he did not understand how risky it was out there in those circumstances,” Lewis said.

More on MLive:

Stay off the ice, officials warn after presumed Lake Michigan drowning

Poor conditions suspend search for man missing in Lake Michigan

Body found in Lake Michigan near Tunnel Park