Experienced Park Ranger Dies During Rescue At Voyageurs National Park

A National Park Service Law Enforcement Park ranger died on Sunday, October 6th during a rescue on Nakaman Lake in Voyageurs National Park. The ranger has not yet been publicly named.

St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsey said he was an experienced Park ranger who was close to retirement.

Voyageurs National Park is a boat-in camping area. You need to have a boat to access the campsites. The weather turned very windy on Sunday, and a family became stranded on their island.

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According to Boreal.org, the family of three called for help late Sunday morning from a "distressed civilian vessel on the lake." The Ranger met up with the family and towed the distressed vessel in his National Park Service boat.

The NPS boat capsized and all four people fell into the water. The family swam to safety, but the Ranger was unaccounted for. After a 3-hour search, authorities found his body. The U.S. Border Patrol, St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, and Kabetogama Fire Department assisted in the search.

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The National Weather Service records indicated the highest wind gust at nearby International Falls was 41 mph. Sustained high winds of 24 mph created rough waters with five to six-foot waves. The St. Louis County Sheriff's office said earlier in the day they were participating in multiple water rescues in the county and advised the public to stay off bodies of water.

Ramsey describes the deceased Ranger as a man with a big heart.

"His partners and deputies who worked with him all knew he had a servant's heart as big as the Park he patrolled. Our thoughts go out to the Ranger, his partners, friends, family, and National Park Service," he said.