Authorities identify victim of drowning south of Nevis

An 18-year-old Brownton, Minn., man drowned after 7 p.m. Thursday on Third Crow Wing Lake in Crow Lake Township south of Nevis after the snowmobile he was on with a friend went into open water.

According to a press release from the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office:

Lukas Neubarth and Thomas Plendl, both 18, of Brownton, were snowmobiling on Third Crow Wing Lake while towing a fish house near open water at the mouth of the river.

The snowmobile and fish house entered the water and Neubarth and Plendl were submerged.

Plendl was able to climb onto the ice shelf and re-entered the water to attempt to locate and assist Neubarth.

Plendl lost contact with Neubarth, and Neubarth never surfaced.

Plendl was transported by ground ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital in Park Rapids where he was evaluated and released a short time later with no injuries.

Due to extreme blizzard conditions and darkness, all search and recovery efforts were suspended until daylight.

The Lake Area Drive Team & Nevis First Responders recovered Neubarth's body after noon Friday in 12 feet of water near where the snowmobile and fish house sunk in the lake.

Responding to the incident were the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office, Nevis Fire Department, Nevis First Responders, North Memorial Ambulance, Hubbard First Responders, Walker Fire Department, and the Lakes Area Dive Team.