DOUGLAS COUNTY — A Superior man was found deceased following a boating incident on Lake Superior, according to a press release from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
PRESS RELEASE
One fatality in Lake Superior Boating Incident
The body of a 57-year-old Superior man was recovered from his mostly submerged boat on Lake Superior about a half mile out from the Superior Entry on Sunday morning, July 27, 2025.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office was notified by the US Coast Guard at 7:30am that they were off the Superior Entry searching for a partially submerged boat that was reported to them. The boat, a 21-ft Maxum, was located, and a body was recovered from it by the St Louis County Rescue Squad and their underwater ROV.
The victim was identified as William Linster, 57, of Superior.
Investigation indicates that Linster was out boating with a friend on Saturday. The friend was dropped off at the dock at about 11:30pm Saturday night, and Linster returned to the water to spend the night as he often did. Evidence and debris were located along the Superior Entry wall that indicates a significant collision took place, and the current likely took the boat out to where it was eventually located.
The official cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy.
The boat currently sits in 40 ft of water, and plans are being finalized to bring it up later in the week.
Agencies responding to this incident include the US Coast Guard, St Louis County Rescue Squad, WI DNR, Douglas County Sheriff's Office and Joint City County Dive Team, and the Douglas County Medical Examiner's Office.
-- Per Douglas County Sheriff's Office
Last Update: Jul 28, 2025 11:10 am CDT
