STEARNS COUNTY, Minn — A man drowned in the Sauk River on Sunday after trying to retrieve a boat lift cover that had blown into the water.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6, authorities received a 911 call about a man in the Sauk River near County Road 49 in Wakefield Township.
The man was reported to be under the water about 30-40 feet from shore, according to a news release from the Stearns County Sheriff's Office.
A crew aboard a Cold Spring Fire Department rescue boat eventually found the man and life-saving efforts were attempted but were unsuccessful.
The victim was identified as Lee Ellwein, 69, of Cold Spring, according to the news release.
Authorities determined that Ellwein went into the water to attempt to recover a boat lift cover that had blown into the water on that extremely windy Sunday.
Ellwein was under the water for 15-20 minutes, according to the release.
The water temperature was 53.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
