Update: Second missing canoer found deceased
Update:
On the afternoon of Wednesday, November 15, 2023, searchers from the St. Louis County Rescue Squad and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office located and recovered the body of Andrew DeRock, 27. DeRock had been missing since a canoeing incident on October 28 on the Minong Flowage in Douglas County. The other occupant, Ryan Busch, was located on November 8.
Land, water, and air searches were conducted over the 18 days by multiple agencies. St. Louis County Rescue Squad, Wisconsin DNR, Sawyer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Superior Dive Team, Wascott, Gordon and Minong Fire Departments, Newbold Fire (Vilas County) K9 teams and Sarah Garfunkel with KERT – K9 Emergency Response Team as well as six different Sheriffs assisted Douglas County with the search.
Search efforts were hindered by obstacles such as weather, cold water temperatures, submerged stumps and natural foliage in the search area. Weather conditions at the time of the incident were clear, calm, with a full moon, and not considered a factor.
Sheriff Izzard would like to thank Sheriff Ramsay for the aid from the St. Louis Rescue Squad whose dedication, knowledge and work ethic are unmatched. He would also like to thank the local businesses and the Wascott community who kept the searchers warm, fed and opened their homes to assist this operation. The families truly appreciate the overwhelming support from the community.
This concludes the search and recovery operation.
Previous update: The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office located the body of Ryan J. Busch, 26, Wednesday evening.
Busch was one of two men who had been missing after a canoe incident on the Minong Flowage in Douglas County.
The Sheriff’s Office said their search efforts continue for Andrew DeRock, 27, who also went missing with Busch.
No additional details have been provided at this time.
Previous Update:
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has stated the search for canoers who went missing on the evening of October 28th/29th in Wascott, Wisconsin is now considered a recovery search.
The occupants of the canoe have been identified as Ryan Busch, 26, and Andrew T. DeRock, 27. Both men are from New Ulm, Minnesota.
The Sheriff’s office said that neither alcohol or weather are considered factors at this time.
This original story follows:
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office say two men were reported missing after canoeing on the Minong Flowage in Wascott, Wisconsin.
The call came in early Sunday morning, 12:46 a.m., after family members found their capsized canoe.
The Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin DNR, Gordan & Wascott Volunteer Fire Departments, and Sawyer County’s search continued through Sunday and Monday Morning, using both drones and boats.