Two Men Die from Falling Through Ice on Fish Trap Lake

CUSHING -- Two men died after falling through the ice on a Morrison County Lake over the weekend.

Sheriff Shawn Larsen says his office received a call shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday of two fishermen who hadn't returned home.

Family members told deputies that 68-year-old Wayne Vaverek of Cushing and 71-year-old Leonard Sanoski of Cushing were out fishing together on Sunday evening on Fish Trap Lake near Cushing.

The sheriff's office started to search for the men. They found that a Polaris side-by-side ATV was missing and later found an open water spot west of the Big Island which is near the middle of the lake.

Deputies found Vaverek's body near the edge of the water, he was pronounced dead at the scene. On Monday morning the Morrison County and Stearns County Dive Teams found Sanoski's body inside the enclosed cab of the ATV. The ATV was in about 40 feet of water.

Larsen says the incident took place on a pressure ridge. The area is marked with cones and the sheriff's office is reminding everyone to stay away from the area.