Camper Dies in Drowning at Minnesota State Park
McGregor, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Twin Cities man lost his life in a drowning at a Minnesota state park over the weekend.
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Authorities say he was in a canoe that capsized on a lake in the park on Saturday afternoon. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner confirmed his death as a freshwater drowning.
A news release issued Monday afternoon by the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office identifies the victim as 20-year-old Htoo Shwe of St. Paul.
He was camping with his cousin and other family members at Savanna Portage State Park, which is about 70 miles west of Duluth, officials say.
The news release says Shwe’s cousin called 911 around 9:00 Saturday night and reported the two were in a canoe that capsized on Wolf Lake in the state park.
He said they both attempted to swim back to shore, but reported that Shwe began to panic, went under water and never resurfaced, officials say.
Multiple agencies responded to the area and found Shwe’s body in the bottom of the lake after searching for about 20 minutes. Authorities say he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neither one of the men were wearing a life jacket and alcohol was believed to have been a factor in the tragic incident, the news release says.
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Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas
