Authorities have identified the body of a man who fell into the Mississippi River from his boat while fishing with a friend late at night south of downtown St. Paul and surfaced more than two weeks later near Hastings.
The body of Vladimir Y. Yastrebov, 28, of Lakeville, was recovered late in the afternoon on May 16 near the Spring Lake public access to the river, according to the Hennepin County medical examiner's office.
Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie said Yastrebov's leg was found earlier farther up the river, possibly severed during a collision with a barge or other large vessel.
The medical examiner said it has yet to determine the circumstances surrounding Yastrebov's death, but Leslie said he has no reason to suspect foul play.
The two men were fishing under the Interstate 35E overpass about 1:45 a.m. April 30 when Yastrebov fell in the river, Leslie said. The two had fished in the past "frequently" at such an unusual hour, he said.
An empty liquor bottle was found on the boat.
Leslie said Tuesday that he suspects "the reaction of the survivor [to Yastrebov going overboard] would have been better" if the fishing partner had been sober.
