Man, 83, falls off moving boat on Wright County lake and dies

A man aboard a moving boat on a Wright County lake fell into the water and died despite the combined efforts of civilians and emergency personnel, authorities said Wednesday.

The incident occurred midafternoon Tuesday near the public access to Granite Lake, about 6 miles south of Annandale in Albion Township, the Sheriff's Office said.

Robert Jacobson, 83, of Elk River, was declared dead by responding emergency personnel.

According to the Sheriff's Office:

David Gunderson, 76, of Annandale, put the small boat in reverse to remove aquatic weeds from the propeller. When Gunderson shifted to forward, he saw that Jacobson had fallen into the water and did not have on a life jacket.

Gunderson tried to throw a lifejacket to an unresponsive Jacobson and then jumped in after him. Another boater intervened and kept Jacobson above water as sheriff's deputies and Fire Department personnel were shuttled toward Jacobson on a lakeside resident's boat.

They got Gunderson and Jacobson out of the water and performed lifesaving efforts while heading back to shore. Those efforts continued once off the water but did not succeed.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482