Missing Wisconsin boater found dead, search for 2nd continues: Police
The body of a missing boater was found dead on Friday after a boat capsized on the Wisconsin River on Thursday, according to the Wisconsin Dells Police Department. The search for the second person continues, police said.
At about noon on Friday, an aircraft assisting in the search "located a submerged item of interest," police said. A search boat responded to the area and found the missing individual "submerged and deceased," police said.
Officials said they will continue their search efforts for the second missing person, but they anticipated a rise in the river over the next few days making the conditions "extremely challenging."
Two people were originally reported missing after a boat capsized on the Wisconsin River on Thursday, according to the Wisconsin Dells Police Department.
At approximately 4:24 p.m. on Thursday, police received reports that a "boat had capsized on the Wisconsin River, south of the Kilbourn Dam," which is an hour north of Madison, police said.
Three people were in the boat at the time of the incident, with one being able to "safely swim to shore," police said. The recovered boater was met by police and rescue units and handed over to medical services for treatment, officials said.
The two other boaters were not seen after "disappearing under the water, near where the boat had capsized," police said.
Rescue boats were launched on Thursday to begin searching for the missing individuals, police said. Officials also requested the assistance of dive teams, but "due to the high flow of water from the Kilbourn Dam and the fast-moving currents" divers were not able to commence their search.
Aerial and underwater drones, shoreline searchers and boats with sonar capabilities were also deployed for the search, police said.
Officials suspended the search on Thursday evening due to the "unpredictable flow of the river" but said efforts will continue Friday morning.
The names of the recovered individual or the boater that is still missing will not be released at this time, police said.
