A park ranger has died during a rescue effort to save three people from a distressed boat in Voyageurs National Park, according to park officials.
The ranger – who has not yet been named but was described as having “a servant’s heart as big as the Park he patrolled”– was pronounced dead on Sunday in St. Louis County, Minnesota, after responding to a “distressed” call for help, The National Park Service said.
The ranger was alerted to the incident where a boat became disabled in high winds and rough surf late Sunday morning. The ranger arrived at Namakan Lake and began towing efforts to help the stranded group.
However, the park’s vessel capsized – plunging the ranger, and the three rescuees into the 150 ft deep lake.
In a desperate attempt to escape, the rescuees swam to safety. But the park ranger was nowhere to be seen. The ranger’s body was recovered by authorities around 3:20 p.m. after a three-hour search.
The United States Border Patrol, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and Kabetogama Fire Department assisted in the search and recovery.
St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay paid tribute to the ranger in a Facebook post: “Saddened by the tragic loss today of a law enforcement Park Ranger in Voyagers National Park. The Ranger rescued a family who were stranded on an island on Namakan.”
Ramsay said that the ranger came up against “5-6 foot waves” which caused the boat to take on water and flip over.
He added: “The Ranger died doing what he loved to do, helping others.
“His partners and deputies who worked with him all knew he had a servant’s heart as big as the Park he patrolled. Our thoughts go out to the Ranger, his partners, friends, family, and National Park Service.”
An investigation into the tragedy is now underway.
Authorities are withholding the ranger’s identity until further investigation and said that no further information was available at this time.
