EXCELSIOR, Minn. — The body of a man thrown from his fishing boat into Lake MInnetonka Monday morning has been recovered.
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office spokesman Rob Allen confirms that a search was launched after a boat was spotted circling out of control just after 10:30 a.m. near Excelsior. Responding deputies learned that two men were in the boat when they encountered rough water that tossed both of them overboard.
One of the men was able to swim to a buoy where he was rescued by another boat, while the second man struggled and disappeared below the surface.
The Sheriff's Office says neither man was wearing a life vest. Search crews and a dive team from the Hennepin County Water Patrol were able to recover the man's body at about 12:30 p.m.
“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the person who lost their life in this incident,” Sheriff Dave Hutchinson said. “It is especially tragic when this happens when people are engaged in an activity like boating, which can be so peaceful. The sad lesson of this is the importance of always wearing a life preserver when you are out on the water.”
A witness tells KARE 11 that he was with a crew working on a deck lakeside when they heard someone in the water yelling for help.
The witness saw what appeared to be a fishing boat circling wildly, and says a barge crew installing docks was able to bump the boat and stop it.
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