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Drowning Incidents Prompt Warning For Boaters, Swimmers

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two dozen people have died in Minnesota water accidents so far this year – five recently. That compares with 14 by the same time last year.

A 55-year-old woman died after jumping off a pontoon boat in northwestern Minnesota. A 38-year-old man is missing and presumed drowned after falling out of his boat on Lake Pepin.

Kim Elverum of the Minnesota DNR sees these types of incidents every summer, prompting this advice:

"Lifejackets probably would save about 80 percent of the people that go into water from boating accidents, so it's very important."

NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Steve Murphy Reports

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Elverum added, unfortunately, hot weather is often accompanied by an increase in water tragedies.

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