Deputies recover body from Mission Lake

Deputies with the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body of a missing fisherman from Mission Lake on Tuesday, a news release from the office stated.

The fisherman was identified as 63-year-old Kazuhiko Hayashizaki.

The search for two others who are missing is continuing. Evidence suggests the three fisherman went through the ice or were blown to open water Saturday, the release stated. The search has transitioned from a rescue to a recovery effort.

The GCSO has requested and received mutual aid assistance from the Flathead County Sheriff Dive Team. The FCSO Dive Team commenced operations this morning and has continued throughout the day with the use of side scan sonar and multiple cold water divers.

The Glacier County Sheriff’s Office had received a report from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who was contacted by family members of the missing, advising three individuals had taken a day trip to fish in Glacier County and had not returned as of Sunday morning. At that point Glacier County sheriff’s deputies and Blackfeet law enforcement officers began a search of Duck Lake and Mission Lake.

A sheriff’s deputy was able to locate the vehicle the missing were traveling in at Mission Lake, the news release said.

The search will continue Wednesday morning.