Body recovered in connection with search for missing Duluth man in Pine Lake

At approximately 5 pm this evening, search efforts for Michael Raymond Hickey, a missing 59-year-old Duluth man, concluded when a body was recovered in Pine Lake.

"This is a difficult day for all involved; an extensive multi-agency search ended with a discovery of a body in the lake,” said Sheriff Pat Eliasen. “We always hope for the best, that we’ll locate a missing person alive. Given the expansive remote search area, which is difficult to access, I commend the efforts of all of the responders involved for their unwavering dedication to this search.”

The body was located in approximately 80 feet of water using side scan sonar technology provided by the St. Louis County Search and Rescue.

Pine Lake is located off of the Arrowhead Trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The lake consists of 18.22 miles of shoreline, has a maximum depth of 113 feet, and covers 2,122 acres.

Search and rescue efforts included a ground, water and air search with resources from the Sheriff’s Office, Search & Rescue, the United States Forest Service, United States Border Patrol, Minnesota State Patrol and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

A post-mortem investigation to determine cause of death will follow.