The body of a 56-year-old Cottage Grove man was found Saturday on the east side of Mille Lacs Lake, Mille Lacs County Sheriff Brent Lindgren reported.
The man, Tony Centeno, was reported missing when his boat collided with another boat at 9:55 p.m. Friday, two miles from the shore, west of Appledorn's Resort on Mille Lacs Lake. The resort is located on the east side of the lake and the area is commonly referred to as Shaw's Reef. The collision of the boats was reported by the driver of one of the boats involved, John Ewert, 63, Anoka. Present with him in his boat at the time of the collision was his wife Deidre, 61. John Ewert was operating a 1992 17-foot Crestliner Runabout.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Ewerts were traveling eastbound on Mille Lacs Lake heading into shore when they collided with another anchored boat. That boat was a 1985 Alumacraft Runabout occupied by Centeno.
Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office deputies and the sheriff's office Search and Rescue personnel responded to the collision and were assisted by the Isle police and fire departments, Mille Lacs Health System Ambulance Service, Minnesota DNR enforcement Division, the Minnesota State Patrol and the Mille Lacs Tribal Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division.
Initial response conducted a rescue attempt until 6 a.m. Saturday when it turned into a recovery effort. Recovery efforts resumed at noon Saturday and Centeno was recovered late Saturday afternoon after an extensive search of the area where the collision occurred. Centeno was the only occupant of the boat at the time of the collision. He was not wearing a life jacket.
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Centeno was transported to the Anoka County Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy and those results are pending.
The Ewerts were later examined on shore by medical personnel. Neither required any further medical treatment.
