ASHLAND COUNTY — An Ashland man has not been located after his unoccupied boat was found drifted ashore in the town of Sanborn on Monday. Ashland County dispatch received word of the empty vessel, found at the end of Ackley Road, shortly before 9 a.m.
The boat was registered to John Stanslaski, who uncharacteristically failed to report for work Monday, according to a news release from the Ashland County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday. Attempts to locate Stanslaski have been unsuccessful and a search of his home proved unproductive.
Dispatch received a call from a possible witness stating that he was fishing at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday and saw a boat of the same make as the recovered vessel with one man in it who was perhaps wearing an orange shirt, the news release said. The reported sighting was in the vicinity of Oak Point near Long Island, and the conditions were windy with large waves.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Park Service and U.S. Coast Guard initiated a search Monday. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Superior Police Department, St. Louis County search and rescue, Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission and Wisconsin Emergency Management responded as well. An air search was conducted by a Coast Guard helicopter, an Enbridge helicopter, a DNR plane and a National Guard C-26 plane.
The search was suspended at dark Monday and the teams then continued the search by air and water. Family members have been notified of the search.
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The News Tribune will provide updates to this story as they become available.
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