Lake Pepin Boating Fatalities Update

At approximately 11:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, the Pepin County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting people screaming for help from the waters of Lake Pepin.

A short time later, responding emergency personnel located an overturned 27-foot pontoon boat just offshore from the YMCA Camp on Deer Island in Pepin County, Wisconsin. Three survivors were found clinging to the overturned vessel. The survivors advised first responders that three additional occupants had been aboard the boat but could not be immediately located.

A large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately initiated involving numerous law enforcement, fire, and emergency response agencies from both Wisconsin and Minnesota. The response included rescue boats, drones, helicopters, and other specialized search resources.

During the search operation, first responders recovered the three missing occupants from Lake Pepin. All three individuals were pronounced deceased by the Pepin County Coroner.

They have been transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office in St. Paul, Minnesota, where autopsies will be conducted.

The deceased have been identified as:

• Ashley Monson, 37 yrs old from Wabasha, Mn.

• Manuel De Angel-Sola, 52 yrs old from Wabasha, Mn.

• Nicholas Loechler, 46 yrs old from Wabasha, Mn.

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This incident occurred near the YMCA Camp on Deer Island; however, no campers or camp staff were involved in the boating incident.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is the lead agency investigating the circumstances surrounding the boating crash. The Pepin County Sheriff's Office and Wabasha County Sheriff's Office continue to assist with the investigation.

The Pepin County Sheriff's Office and Wabasha County Sheriff's Office extend their sincere condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who lost their lives. They also thank the many law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency response personnel from Wisconsin and Minnesota whose coordinated efforts supported this operation.

No further information is being released at this time. Additional updates will be provided as they become available.