(Wahpeton)– Divers early this (Mon.) afternoon recovered the body of one of two people who were on a dock barge that sank late Saturday afternoon off of Gull Point on West Lake Okoboji.
At a news conference, Dickinson County Sheriff Greg Baloun announced crews recovered the body of 31-year-old Matthew Molacek of Estherville around 12:30 p.m. in about 66 feet of water 20 to 25 feet away from the barge wreckage.
The search continues meanwhile for 12-year-old Colin Helmers of Estherville who was also on the barge. Petersen says they’re using every piece of high tech equipment available including side scan sonar, mapping equipment, GPS equipment, and specially trained dogs.
Petersen says the divers have relatively good conditions under which to operate. He says the visibility is excellent except when sediment is stirred up on the bottom. Complicating the operation, he says, is the fact the barge is sitting right next to what’s known as the “hole”…where the depth drops off to 136 feet.
Petersen says they aren’t certain if either Molacek and Helmers were wearing a life jacket.
Petersen says the operations has obviously been very emotionally and physically draining on the divers, who are going down in shifts. And he says any diver who says he’s uncomfortable with going down is being told not to.
Petersen says there’s no doubt the 54 degree water temperature played a major factor in the mishap. He says water that cold would make it very difficult to swim in for anyone not properly equipped for it.
Baloun says the search for the 12-year-old boy will continue for as long as it takes, saying “when a mother looks at you and tells you to find her baby, we’re going to do everything we can to find him”.
