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From Drowned diver working on Parshall water intake
A Minnesota man who drowned in Lake Sakakawea Wednesday was making repairs to the city of Parshalls water intake structure when the accident occurred.
The body of Joseph Patrick Gould, 32, of Brook Park, Minn., was retrieved and taken to the State Medical Examiners office for an autopsy, said McLean County Sheriff Don Charging.
The intake was about 125 feet below the lake surface and it appears Goulds diving equipment became tangled and he couldnt come to the surface. Charging said the usual communication system failed and his surface support was alerted to trouble when Gould tugged on his lines.
A coworker who went down was unable to untangle him, Charging said.
He described Gould as an experienced underwater welder who worked for Midco Diving Co. of Rapid City, S.D.
Charging said one of his deputies and investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the scene Friday.