Michael Iriarte.Photo:Winnebago County Wisconsin Sheriffs Office
Winnebago County Wisconsin Sheriffs Office
A fisherman remains missing in Wisconsin.
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Officeannouncedon Monday that 41-year-old Michael Iriarte’s kayak had been located after the fisherman was last seen around 3 p.m. on Sunday.
According to the sheriff’s office, Iriarte went fishing in a purple over-white 10-foot recreational kayak, wearing a facemask and life jacket.
Generic photo of a Wisconsin lake.Getty
Getty
Deputies from the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, along with their drone unit, commenced an “extensive search” for his whereabouts with the help of the Omro Police Department, a Warden from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, first responders and firefighters from the Omro Rushford Fire Department.
The department said in its update that they searched for several hours on Terrell’s Island, Samers Bay and the Spring Brook area before suspending their efforts on Sunday because “all available search efforts were exhausted or proven ineffective.”
A new search began on Monday morning that included shoreline searches on foot, with boats and a plane.
41-year-old Michael Iriarte.Winnebago County Wisconsin Sheriffs Office
“I was looking through my binoculars to look for ducks, and I saw them pull the purple and white kayak out onto the shore and kind of got a sick feeling in my stomach,” Martin said. “[I] didn’t realize what was going on until I saw that. It is a very gut-wrenching feeling.”
“It’s somebody’s, you know, somebody’s son,” Martin told NBC 26. “I just wish the family the best. It’s tough, especially this time of year in between the holidays.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Anyone with information that might help in the search for Iriarte is encouraged to contact the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office at 920-236-7300, extension Zero, or 911.
source: people.com
