(Spirit Lake)— We’re learning some additional details into a boat crash Saturday on East Lake Okoboji.
The Iowa DNR says it took place around 7:00 pm. A press release says a 42-foot-long catamaran style racing boat was operating on East Lake Okoboji between Stoney Point and the Narrows when it collided with a dock and launched over a boat hoist containing a boat, came ashore, and crossed 255th Avenue before coming to rest.
The operator, 73-year-old Duane Ver Meer, and a passenger, 68-year-old Lisa Ver Meer, both of Spirit Lake, were trapped under the boat, according to initial reports. They were freed and taken by ambulance to Lakes Regional Healthcare before being transferred to a Sioux Falls hospital. Their conditions currently are not available.
The Iowa DNR, Iowa State Patrol, Spirit Lake Fire and Rescue, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office and the Spirit Lake Police Department responded to the scene. Authorities say the crash remains under investigation.
