A 74-year-old man from southern Wisconsin drowned Thursday in Lake Superior off the north shore of Long Island, in the Apostle Islands.
Ashland County Sheriff Mick Brennan said Charles Conklin of Middleton, near Madison, was reported missing while swimming from a boat at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday. A passing sailboat radioed the U.S. Coast Guard for help. Other agencies responding to the call included the Ashland County and Bayfield County sheriff's offices; the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; the Bayfield Fire Department's dive team; the National Park Service; and wardens from the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission.
Conklin's body was recovered about three hours later in about 14 feet of water, according to a news release. Long Island is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and is just south of Madeline Island.
Brennan reported that Conklin's family said he had no known medical issues.
