On June 22, at approximately 9:15 a.m., the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was assisting the Polk County Highway Department in relation to installing buoys on the east shore of Maple Lake, near Mentor, using the Polk County Sheriff’s Office airboat.
During the buoy installation, the airboat tipped over and sank to the bottom of Maple Lake. Two Sheriff’s Deputies and two Polk County Highway Department personnel were on the airboat at the time of the accident. The Sheriff’s deputies were transported by private vehicle to Essentia Hospital in Fosston with non-life-threatening injuries. The Highway Department personnel were uninjured. All four individuals were wearing life jackets.
The Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office Dive Team was dispatched to assist with the recovery of the airboat. Assisting agencies were:-Mentor Fire Department-County EMS-Polk County Highway Department-Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office dive team. This incident is under investigation and no further information will be released at this time.
Updated June 23, 12:35 p.m.
The Airboat from yesterday’s incident was successfully removed from the Maple Lake East Shore area yesterday at approximately 8:00 p.m. with the assistance of LePier’s Dock and Boat Lift Service and Advanced Tire out of Crookston. All fluid containers were intact and there was no fluid leakage into the lake.
