8 people rescued after boat sinks in Kandiyohi County

Eight people were rescued on Sunday after their boat sank in Big Kandiyohi Lake. 

According to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office, authorities received a call just before 6 p.m. regarding a submerged boat with people in the water on Big Kandiyohi Lake. Everyone who was in the water was pulled to safety by others on a pontoon who heard the calls for help.

Police say a 1974 Larsen speedboat, operated by a 35-year-old Hector man, had a motor malfunction. At the time, the boat had three other adult passengers and four children aboard. An investigation states the driver was attempting to bring the boat up to speed when a loud noise went off at the rear of the boat. The outboard motor tore off from the transom, causing the motor and a portion of the boat to fall into the lake, according to the sheriff's office. 

The age of the boat and the excess occupancy weight are believed to be the cause of the total damage to the watercraft.

The Sheriff's Office Water Patrol deputies were able to retrieve and remove all parts of the damaged boat from the lake. There were no injuries from the incident.