On 8/12/2023 at approximately 3:26 p.m. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department, North Dakota Game & Fish, and the Lake Region Search and Rescue were dispatched to Creel Bay south of Woodland Resort for a swimmer that had gone under the water and never came back up.
The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department and Lake Region Search and Rescue arrived on scene and located a pontoon that was afloat in the area of where the swimmer had gone under. The occupants on the pontoon indicated that a male had jumped off the pontoon to go swimming. They noticed that when the swimmer came up the swimmer was in distress. They attempted to get the swimmer on the pontoon but were unable to before the swimmer went under the water.
Lake Region Search and Rescue started rescue operations and were assisted by local fisherman using their electronics to locate the swimmer. Operations were ended that evening due to low light conditions.
On 8/13/2023 rescue operations were continued with the assistance of the Stutsman County Dive team and the Lake Region Search and Rescue. The swimmer was recovered at approximately 11:39 a.m.
The swimmer was identified as Gary Foster Williams Jr. of Eugene, OR.
