BARRON COUNTY, Wisconsin — Authorities in western Wisconsin say a man died Saturday while trying to save his grandchild from drowning.
The Barron County Sheriff’s Office says it received a report of a man who entered the water below the Mikana Dam to help a struggling child. The child got out of the water safely, but the man did not return.
Upon arrival, emergency services searched the area for the man, but without success. The Mikana Dam was closed as the search continued. Ultimately, a diving team found and recovered the man.
Investigators say the 71-year-old man had taken his two grandchildren fishing and swimming in the area. Both children were wearing life jackets when one of them began to struggle. Their grandfather entered the water, pulled them to a place where they could stand, and the children reached shore.
The sheriff’s office says the man went underwater for an unknown reason and drowned.
The incident is still under investigation.
