Stearns Co. Mississippi River rescue leaves father and son stranded on island

STEARNS COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A water rescue over the weekend in Stearns County left a father-and-son stranded on an island as their boat drifted away from them down the Mississippi River.

On May 13, at around 3:30 p.m., the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a call from someone near the address of 301 Montrose Road in St. Cloud.

According to authorities, the caller reported that there was a man located on an island in the Mississippi River asking for help because his boat had gotten away from him and proceeded down river.

A short time later, another call came in from the man’s son, who had also been with him on the island, to report that his dad had gone into the water to attempt to retrieve their boat, but went too far down river, and he couldn’t see him or the boat anymore.

The St. Cloud Fire Department was dispatched to the area with their boat to assist, along with additional boats from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities later located the man on another island, and transported them both, with the boat, back to shore.

No one was injured in the incident.