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Cass Lake drowning: North Dakota man's body found

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Published  August 10, 2025 11:40am CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 9

The Brief

    • The Cass County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspected drowning that took the life of a 41-year-old man from North Dakota.
    • Authorities say juveniles on the boat tried to throw the man a life jacket, but the boat drifted in high winds.
    • The man exited a pontoon to fix a boat motor problem and did not resurface.

CASS COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 41-year-old North Dakota man was found dead after exiting a pontoon on Cass Lake to fix a boat motor, according to the Cass County Sheriff's Office. 

Cass Lake drowning

What we know:

Authorities say a 911 caller reported a person going under the water in Cass Lake and did not resurface at about 5:50 p.m. on Saturday.

The sheriff's office said several law enforcement agencies and rescue teams responded to search the area. 

Investigators then determined a 41-year-old man from Grafton, North Dakota, exited the pontoon to work on a boat motor issue. He then went under the water and did not resurface.

Juveniles on the boat then tried to throw the man a life jacket, but the pontoon began drifting in high winds before other boaters intercepted it. 

The victim's body was then found in the water around 7:50 p.m. 

What we don't know:

The victim's identity and official cause of death are expected to be released after an autopsy by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office. 

The Source: This story uses information shared in a news release from the Cass County Sheriff's Office. 

Crime and Public SafetyMinnesota