Lake Pepin Boating Accident: Three Boaters Dead After Pontoon Collides with Commercial Barge on Lake Pepin
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A Saturday night collision between a recreational pontoon boat and a commercial barge on Lake Pepin has left three people dead following an overnight search and rescue operation that drew agencies from both sides of the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.
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The pontoon was carrying six passengers when it capsized after the impact. Three survivors were brought to shore, with at least one confirmed to have sustained injuries. The other two survivors were described as being in fair condition. The three remaining victims were unaccounted for through the night and into Sunday, prompting a large-scale search across the lake.
A Search That Stretched Across Two States
The response was extensive. Boats from the Pepin County and Wabasha County sheriff’s offices, Durand Fire Department, Alma, Dunn County, Goodhue County, and Red Wing Fire Department joined Wisconsin and Minnesota DNR vessels on the water. Drone teams from multiple county agencies covered the area from the air, and Minnesota State Patrol aircraft also assisted in the search.
By Sunday evening, the Wisconsin DNR confirmed all three missing victims had been recovered. Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener and Wabasha County Sheriff Curt Struwe confirmed the victims were pronounced dead by the Pepin County Coroner.
Identities Withheld Pending Family Notification
The three deceased have been transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office in St. Paul, where autopsies will be conducted. Their names have not been released, as authorities are waiting to notify next of kin.
The Wisconsin DNR is leading the investigation into what caused the collision. No further details about the barge, its operator, or the circumstances of the crash have been released at this time.
Lake Pepin, a naturally widened section of the Mississippi River that sits on the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, is a popular recreational boating destination during summer months. The presence of commercial barge traffic on the same waterway has historically raised safety concerns, and this collision is likely to draw renewed attention to how those two uses of the river are managed.
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