Missing boater’s body found in Rathbun Lake

APPANOOSE COUNTY, Iowa — The body of a boater who went missing over the weekend was recovered from Rathbun Lake Tuesday night.

At around 10:55 a.m. on Monday the Iowa Department of Natural Resources received a report of an abandoned boat along the north shore of the lake, just west of the Honey Creek State Park area.

When authorities with the DNR located the boat, a 16-foot 1970 Crestliner, they found two dogs and personal property inside, but no occupants.

According to the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, authorities learned that the occupant of the boat was last seen fishing near the Rolling Cove area on the southside of the lake at around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The sheriff’s office said it is believed that the boat drifted about a mile and a half to the north side of the lake.

Over a period of two days the sheriff’s office, DNR, Rathbun Army Corps of Engineers, and Appanoose County Emergency Management conducted a large search of the area, the sheriff’s office said.

On Tuesday at around 7 p.m. the body of the fisherman was found about 2,000 feet north of the Rolling Cove area. The fisherman has been identified as a 47-year-old California resident who was visiting family and friends in Iowa, the sheriff’s office said.

The investigation into the fisherman’s death is ongoing.

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