Authorities Find Body of Final Missing Canoeist in Boundary Waters

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Authorities have the located body of the final person who was reported missing following a water emergency on a Minnesota lake more than two weeks ago. 

Read More: 1 Airlifted, 2 Missing After Water Emergency on Lake in Minnesota's Boundary Waters

A news release issued Monday by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the search for the missing Minnesota canoeist ended late Monday morning. 

Crews had been searching the lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe area since May 18. 

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First responders were initially called to Curtain Falls on Iron Lake, which is along the Minnesota-Canada border, on the report of a canoe going over the falls.

 Three of the men were flown out of the woods within a day of the incident. One had serious but non-life-threatening injuries and the two others escaped unharmed. 

Two canoeists, identified as 41-year-old Jesse Melvin Haugen of Cambridge and 40-year-old Reis Melvin Grams of Lino Lakes, were still missing after the three rescues. 

Body of Second and Final Missing Canoeist Found in Minnesota's Boundary Waters

On Friday, search and rescue teams reported recovering Haugen’s body during operations near Curtain Falls. 

Read More: Body of Missing Minnesota Canoeist Found in Boundary Waters

Flights in and out of the area became available on Monday and officials reported finding Grams’s body around 10:00 Monday morning in an area just west of Curtain Falls. 

The news release says Grams was flown out of the wilderness to Ely. 

Crews battled difficult weather and rising water caused by heavy rain. 8-12 people were involved in the search, which used Zodiac boats, Canoes, ROV, Drones, and K-9’s.

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