Person's body recovered at Lac La Belle, 2nd drowning in 4 days

 

Updated: 8:06 a.m. on July 25, 2022

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Sunday evening, July 24, the body of a person who went missing on Lac La Belle was recovered. 

Primary search efforts were initially suspended around 9 p.m. Sunday night, with plans for an 8 a.m. return on Monday. 

Prior to returning to shore, one of the boats located an area of interest utilizing sonar, which resulted in redeployment of the Western Lakes Dive Team and Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department Dive team at 9:40pm.

Around 10:57 p.m., the victim was located in 11 feet of water west of Blackhawk Drive. The Waukesha County Medical Examiners Office responded to the scene, and the incident remains under investigation. 

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Published: 8:22 p.m. on July 24, 2022

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Authorities in Oconomowoc are searching for a person who reportedly jumped off a boat and never came up.

It happened this afternoon at Lac La Belle -- marking the second drowning at the lake in just the past week.

The search has been going on for nearly five hours now and is expected to go well into the night.

Earlier today, CBS 58 did see the family of that individual consoling and hugging each other with tears in their eyes.

Emergency crews are looking for what officials say is a male in his 30's.

Officials say the call for help came in just before 4:00 p.m. this afternoon.

This incident quickly escalated to multiple law enforcement agencies being called in from different counties to join the rescue mission.

Emergency crews from Beaver Dam, Waukesha County, and many others are all helping in the search.

This is the second time on this popular lake in the span of four days where someone has drowned.

People tell CBS 58 when the call came in for help -- the condition of the water was unforgiving -- with high waves and strong winds.

The water now appears to be calm -- but people who live in the area tell CBS 58 they can't believe this happened again in their community--still mentally recovering from the last drowning -- just four days ago.

"The first one was really devastating and we didn't have a lot of information for a long time and we still don't know and so it's pretty traumatic because we want, we are praying for the family and closure of some sort," said Janelle Schultz of Oconomowoc.

The identity of the person has not been released.

CBS 58 did see a Chaplin on the scene with the American Red Cross Society.

CBS 58 will continue to monitor this situation and will have the latest details on air and online.