Boaters killed in Big Marine Lake accident ID'd

Witnesses said the men lost control of the boat shortly after leaving the landing and were ejected.

May 2, 2022 at 10:43PM

Two men who died in an apparent boating accident in Washington County have been identified.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's office on Monday identified the men as Richard Thomas Gannon, 45, of Centerville and Tony Randall Boyce, 55, of Hugo, according to a news release from the agency. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office recovered the bodies over the weekend, after receiving a 911 call about boaters in distress on the north side of Big Marine Lake.

Witnesses said the men lost control of the boat shortly after leaving the landing and were ejected. Bystanders heard the men calling for help and took boats out to assist but could not locate the men. One body was found on Friday, but rain forced the recovery team to pause their efforts until the next day.

The search continued Saturday afternoon and the second man's body was found just before 4 p.m.

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about the writer

Alex Chhith

Reporter

Alex Chhith is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune.

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