Man drowns trying to get dog out of Otter Tail County lake

PELICAN RAPIDS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 48-year-old Pelican Rapids man died after jumping into a lake to retrieve his dog Saturday afternoon.

The Otter Tail Sheriff's Office says the man was boating with friends on South Lida Lake when he jumped off the boat he was on to get his dog, who had jumped into the lake. Authorities say moments later it became apparent to the people he was boating with that he was struggling to stay above water. 

The victim's friends jumped into the lake and pulled him onto the boat to start CPR. 

RELATED: 2 people die in separate incidents in the Minnesota River

First responders arrived on scene and continued life-saving measures. Those efforts were unsuccessful and the man died at the scene. 

This is one of several water emergencies reported over the weekend in Minnesota, when temperatures surged to the high 90s in much of the state. According to the Minnesota DNR, as of May 31, there had been eight non-boating fatalities, two boating fatalities and one non-boating drowning reported.