CUSHING-Authorities found the bodies of two Cushing men after receiving a report Sunday, Dec. 9, of overdue fishermen on Fish Trap Lake.
The Morrison County Sheriff's Office was called at 6:32 p.m. regarding two neighbors who live on Fish Trap Lake, 5 miles north of Cushing in Scandia Valley Township. The two were together fishing Sunday night. Family members notified the sheriff's office they were unable to contact the fishermen, who were late returning home. The sheriff's office coordinated search and rescue efforts with responding units and learned a Polaris side-by-side all-terrain vehicle was missing.
Responders searched the lake and located open water west of the Big Island, which is near the middle of the lake. At this location, the body of 68-year-old Wayne Vaverek of Cushing was found on the ice near the edge of water, a news release stated. Lifesaving efforts were attempted but were unsuccessful, and Vaverek was pronounced dead at the scene.
After a thorough search, responding units were unable to locate the other fisherman. Search efforts were called off and resumed Monday morning. Members of the Morrison County and Stearns County dive teams located the body of 71-year-old Leonard Sanoski of Cushing inside the enclosed cab of the Polaris side-by-side ATV, the sheriff's office reported. The side-by-side ATV, which is typically designed to carry two or more people, was discovered in 40 feet of water. This incident took place on a pressure ridge, which is 200 yards long, running north to south and 75 yards wide running east to west. Pressure ridges are known to have broken or weak ice.
Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen stated the pressure ridge is marked with cones and authorities are reminding residents to stay away from the area.
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The release stated: "The sheriff's office wants to remind everyone that the ice conditions vary throughout the lake and should not be considered 100 percent safe."
The sheriff's office was assisted at the scene by the Scandia Valley Fire Department, Scandia Valley First Response Team, Minnesota State Patrol, DNR, Stearns County Sheriff's Office, Sauk Rapids Fire Department, Little Falls Police Department, Life Link III and Gold Cross Ambulance.
