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Man missing in Glacier National Park found dead in Lake McDonald

Posted at 6:34 PM, Mar 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-27 13:31:57-04

The 48-year-old man who was reported missing in Glacier National Park Tuesday morning has been found dead.

At approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday, park dispatch received a missing person notification from a concerned family member for a 48-year-old Arizona man believed to be in Glacier National Park, according to a press release.

Park rangers launched a search and located a vehicle at Lake McDonald Lodge matching the description provided by the man’s family.

Glacier National Park ground crews searched the nearby area, and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team responded to conduct an underwater search.

Park officials stated a dive team deployed a remote operated vehicle (ROV) and found and recovered the man in Lake McDonald Tuesday afternoon.

The exact circumstances leading to the victim’s death are unknown. No foul play is suspected. The death remains under investigation by Glacier National Park, according to the press release.

The victim’s name has not yet been released.

Park officials said Lake McDonald is still frozen in some places, though open water exists throughout the lake, including flowing out of Sprague Creek and in other areas near Lake McDonald Lodge. Unstable ice is also prevalent.

The press release states water is a leading cause of death in Glacier National Park. The park urges people to stay off frozen water and away from slippery rocks near rushing water. The park has hundreds of icy streams and lakes that can pose extreme hazards.