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Report ID# 3676

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Accident Description

Posted: Mon 6:40 AM, Aug 06, 2012

KESHENA, Wis. (AP) -- An Eau Claire man remains missing after disappearing while rafting on the Wolf River near Keshena. The Menominee County Sheriff's Department says 39-year-old Michael Danovsky went underwater on Saturday and didn't resurface. Searchers looked for Danovsky on Saturday and Sunday without success.

NEW INFORMATION: Body of missing Eau Claire rafter found

Reporter: WEAU 13 News Staff

 

 

 

 

(WEAU) - The Menominee County Sheriff's Department says the body of Michael Danovsky, 39, was found Tuesday morning after four days of searching. He disappeared while rafting on the Wolf River Saturday afternoon.

(WEAU) -- The search continues for a missing rafter who disappeared near the Keshena area.The Menominee County Sheriff's Department say 39-year-old Michael Danovsky of Eau Claire went under water on Saturday while rafting on the Wolf River but never came back up.Searchers were unable to find Danovsky on Saturday night and continued the search Sunday morning. As of Sunday evening, deputies say they still haven't been able to locate him.

Body of missing rafter found:

Boyceville native loses life in rafting accident

 

August 10, 2012 3:59 pm  •  By DEB ANDERSON deb.anderson@lee.net

A Facebook memorial page tells the tale of a much-beloved friend, classmate and family member. Mourning the loss of Boyceville native Michael T. Danovsky, 39, scores of people have entered heartfelt postings about the man they knew who tragically lost his life in a rafting accident.

After four days of searching, the Menominee County Sheriff’s Department in Keshena found Danovsky on Aug. 7.  Danovsky,  a resident of Eau Claire, had been reported missing while rafting on the Wolf River in Menominee County.  

Danovsky was one of a party of four (two in each boat).  His raft hit rapids and overturned, tossing out both occupants.  Danovsky, a novice rafter, disappeared into the water, while the other rafter, who was able to grab onto the watercraft and stay afloat, managed to stop the raft and turn back to look for his missing friend.

The rafters told officials that around 4:30 p.m.,  on Aug. 4, Danovsky went under the water in the dells area of the river and never resurfaced. Menominee County officials began searching for Danovsky, but crews did not find his body until  the morning of Aug. 7.

Assisting the Menominee County Sheriff’s Department in the recovery were the Keshena Fire Department, Menominee Tribal Conservation Department and the K-9 Emergency Response Team from Appleton. Following the recovery of Danovsky’s body, the Menominee County Medical Examiner responded and the Swedberg Funeral Home was called.

8/6/2012 7:54:00 AM
Body of missing rafter recovered
Second drowning on Wolf this year

 

By Leader Staff

Authorities on Tuesday recovered the body of an Eau Claire man who disappeared Saturday while rafting on the Wolf River near Keshena.

Michael T. Danovsky, 39, went underwater in the Dells area and did not resurface, the Menominee County Sheriff's Department said. The Menominee County 911 Center received the call at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Sheriff's Department, Menominee Tribal Police, Menominee EMS, Keshena, Neopit and Middle Village fire departments and the Shawano County Sheriff's Department dive team were dispatched for the recovery effort.

The Sheriff's Department said Danovsky, who was rafting with a group of friends, was sharing a raft with another person. The raft overturned dumping both in the water, according to the Sheriff's Department, and Danovsky disappeared.

The rapids at the Dells were described as "severe," according to the Sheriff's Department, with rocky cliffs on both sides and no walkable shoreline.

The Sheriff's Department said Danovsky was not wearing a life vest when found.

Menominee County Sheriff Robert Summers expressed his sympathy to the family in a news release and his appreciation for those involved in the search.

Shawano County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy John Gutho said there were no Shawano County deputies on scene as part of the recovery effort Tuesday, but volunteers from the dive team and the Shawano Area Fire Department took part.

Saturday's incident was the second rafting death on the Wolf River in the past month.

Lina Maria Vergara Castandea, 20, of Middleton, drowned July 7 after she went under the water at Big Smokey Falls.

 

 

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