A 76-year-old Clara City man died when he was trapped under a small pontoon boat that tipped on Golden Pond near Sunburg in Kandiyohi County around 8:46 a.m. Friday.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Department reported the victim was Philip Leo Thissen.
He was aboard a 2007, 14-foot Forester Pondtoon that flipped.
Two other individuals on the pontoon were not injured. They are identified as Jerry Randall Anderson, 76, Prinsburg, and Gordon Marvin Rothwell, 72, Clara City.
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A passing truck driver reported seeing the tipped over pontoon as he drove by the small body of water along Minnesota Highway 9. Emergency responders found the pontoon upside down and learned from the two other men that a third individual was trapped under the pontoon. Deputies learned that he was submerged for approximately 20 minutes.
Sheriff’s deputies trained as divers were able to remove the victim from under the pontoon, according to the sheriff’s department.
Along with the sheriff’s department, emergency responders with the Sunburg Fire Department, Sunburg Ambulance, Area Lakes First Responders, Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, Willmar Ambulance Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and State Patrol assisted.
