Dozens Participate In Search For Missing Paddle Boarder On Lake Waconia
WACONIA, Minn. (WCCO) -- The search for a man who went missing in Lake Waconia continued on Monday, now in its third day.
Dozens of family and friends searched the land a few miles around the lake, while the Carver County Sheriff's Office continued searching the water. The man's family called 911 at about 3 p.m. Saturday after finding his empty paddle board anchored in Lake Waconia not far from the south shore.
Search efforts continued Monday after they were called off Sunday night due to darkness and weather entering the area. Family members say Andrew John Stifter is a father of two, and his wife is expecting their third child. He also likes wildlife photography.
Friends and family say they are not giving up hope, saying they'll find him.
For a third day, rescue crews searched through the waters of Lake Waconia, and the fields and brush nearby. That's where dozens of family, friends and even strangers did all they could to help find Stifter. Authorities say he was on a paddle board about 100 feet offshore to photograph wildlife.
"We were windsurfing," Jeff Cole said.
Cole and his friends are some of the people who love using Lake Waconia as often as possible.
"We will go out until the ice freezes," Cole said.
Hearing Monday about a paddle boarder who went missing, he and his friends got to work.
"When we got done windsurfing we were in all our gear, we thought, we will walk the shoreline and look in the weeds," Cole said.
An entire community is showing up to help one family in need.
Family friends stayed very private on Monday, but told us they know they'll find him. The Carver County Sheriff's Office says the water is about 38 to 40 degrees. Authorities are hopeful searching the land around the lake. They can't rule out the land because the paddle board was found close to the shore.
Search efforts were called off just before dark Monday night, and the search will resume Tuesday. Family members and volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the Lake Waconia Event Center to continue searching.
