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13-Year-Old Survives Kayak Capsize in Lake McDonald

By Beacon Staff

WEST GLACIER – Glacier National Park officials say a 13-year-old Minnesota boy was found safe after the kayak he was in capsized in a park lake.

Park officials say the boy, of St. Paul, Minn., was kayaking on Lake McDonald Tuesday afternoon when high winds caused choppy waves as much as 6 feet high.

The boy was last seen near the middle of the lake. His grandfather searched for him for about an hour before calling rangers at about 2:15 p.m.

Searchers found the kayak near the middle of the lake at about 4 p.m. The search continued by boat, helicopter and land until about 6:15 p.m. when the crew of a park tour boat spotted the boy on the eastern shore of the lake.

The boy told rangers that after he was thrown into the water, he was unable to stay with the kayak and swam toward shore. The boy was wearing a life jacket and a “shorty” style wet suit.