Polk County Deputies Injured After Airboat Capsizes Near Mentor

Two Polk County deputies were injured Wednesday after the airboat they were on capsized and sank on Maple Lake near Mentor.

According to a release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, this morning at 9:15 AM, the Polk County Highway Department was installing buoys on the east side of Maple Lake with the help of two sheriff’s deputies and the use of their airboat. A accident happened that resulted in the airboat tipping over and sinking to the bottom.

Two Polk County Highway Department personnel and the two deputies were on board the airboat. The Highway Department personnel were uninjured but the two deputies were taken by private vehicle to Essentia Hospital in Fosston with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office Dive Team was dispatched to help recover the airboat from the lake. The press release says the incident is under investigation.

The airboat has been successfully removed from Maple Lake near the east shore area. “All fluid containers were intact and there was no fluid leakage
into the lake,” said a recent release.