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Man Drowns While Fishing Near Big Swan Lake

KINGSTON TOWNSHIP, Minn. (WCCO) -- A man died from an apparent drowning while fishing near Big Swan Lake.

The Meeker County Sheriff's Office said Patrick Lynch, 56, of Annandale, Minn. was fishing with his brother alongside County Road 21 Sunday when he drowned.

His brother, Terrence Lynch, said they both went fishing along the road around 11:55 a.m. Patrick Lynch was fishing on the south side in Big Swan Lake and Terrence Lynch on the north side in the flooded Collinwood Creek.

"It was a perfect morning, you know, it was just a great morning," said Terrence. "We had been there before."

After 15 minutes passed, Terrence Lynch went to speak with his brother and couldn't find him. He started searching and found Patrick Lynch floating in the water north of County Road 21 in the creek.

"I looked up and he was 150 yards, 200 yards, out. The current had taken him out," said Terrence.

Terrence Lynch called police and when they arrived, Dassel Rescue used an inflatable raft to bring Patrick Lynch out of the water. They tried CPR, but he was pronounced dead on the scene.

The Meeker County Sheriff's Office believes that Patrick Lynch fell into Big Swan Lake and was taken by the current through a large culvert where he went under County Road 21 and ended up on the north side of the road in Collinwood Creek.

Officials said the water in the area where his fishing pole was found was up to the road ditch. They said the current was substantial and the large culvert was also under water because of the flooding water.

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