Drowning Victim Recovered From Albert Lea Lake

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Albert Lea, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Freeborn County Sheriff's Office and Albert Lea Police are investigating a drowning.

The Sheriff's Office says it received a report of a person drowning in Fountain Lake just before 11 AM today. The report came in from the Edgewater boat landing.

A news release indicates a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer was already on the lake and was able to respond almost immediately. The DNR officer was directed to an area about 20 feet from the dock at the boat landing, where the water is about 8 1/2 feet deep.

A search effort was started by the DNR officer, who was soon joined by officers from the Albert Lea Police Department. Officials say the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office and Albert Lea Fire Department also responded with boats and the firefighters begin dives into the water to search for the victim. Using site imaging technology, the victim was located about an hour after the search began.

He was identified as 66-year-old Matthew Jay Anderson of Albert Lea.

The news release notes that an Albert Lea firefighter was injured during the search operation when he was struck by a hook used to drag the bottom of the lake.