Two men perish after being washed into Lake Superior

Flares illuminated the Lake Superior shoreline as the search was under way for Wayne Louis Hoffman, who had been pulled into Lake Superior while attempting to rescue another man. His body was recovered at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, December 23.

At approximately 3:03 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23, the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office received a report that a person was in the waters of Lake Superior near Bluefin Bay Resort in Tofte, about 15 feet from shore. The dispatcher was told people on shore were trying to get a rope out to the man.

Wayne Louis Hoffman, 66, of Spring Green, Wisconsin was attempting to pull the man in distress, Evan Alexander Johnson, 40, Menomonie, Wisconsin to safety when he was washed into the lake by a large wave.

Johnson was pulled from the lake at about 3:30 p.m. and transported by Cook County Ambulance to North Shore Hospital. Although rescuers had started CPR, Johnson was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The attempt to rescue Hoffman continued with the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office, Cook County Search & Rescue, Cook County Ambulance, Tofte Rescue Squad, the Tofte, Lutsen, and Grand Marais fire departments, and the Minnesota State Patrol assisting. Fire department personnel walked the shoreline, searching with thermal imaging cameras.

Attempts were made to bring in U.S. Coast Guard and Minnesota State Patrol helicopters, but due to icing conditions, they were unable to fly. A U.S. Coast Guard 25-foot response boat from Station Duluth was dispatched.

The Royal Canadian Air Force from Winnipeg, Manitoba joined the search at about 6:48 p.m. with a C-130 plane, dropping flare after flare to light the water in hopes of finding Hoffman.

At 10:03 p.m., word was sent to the U.S. Coast Guard dispatch at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, reporting that Hoffman had been found, deceased in the water about a half mile from where he had entered the lake and approximately 400 yards off shore.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District, Station Duluth personnel and local responders conducted five miles of shore-side searches, from Tofte to Schroeder before finding the missing man offshore.

A Coast Guard Ninth District news release said Johnson had reportedly gone from a hot tub into the lake to cool off. Hoffman entered the water to assist him.

The Coast Guard said search conditions were poor, with heavy fog and precipitation, with waves of 4-6 feet in the area at the time of the incident.