Body found in Mississippi River hours after man goes missing in northern Minnesota

DEER LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Police say a body was pulled from the Mississippi River on Thursday while crews were searching for a man who disappeared from a campground in rural northern Minnesota.

The Cass County Sheriff's Office, which led the search for the 41-year-old man, says friends called 911 around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday to report their friend had gone missing while camping at Schoolcraft State Park, located along the river.

Deputies learned the missing man had been with friends at the campground earlier in the evening but had walked away and not returned.

Search crews, which included help from neighboring departments, responded and launched a multi-hour search of the campgrounds, forest areas, and the river.

Around 2:47 p.m. the following day, deputies say the body of a man was found in the rover.

Deputies have not yet released the identity of the victim. The body will be examined by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner as part of the investigation.