WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (WFRV) – Search efforts have continued through the weekend on the Wisconsin River for the 20-year-old Chicago man who is the last of three boaters whose whereabouts are unknown when a boat capsized Thursday afternoon.
Another update provided by the Wisconsin Dells Police Department on Sunday afternoon stated that 18 miles of shoreline were searched in efforts to find 20-year-old Francesco L. Di Filippo. He has not been found.
Authorities were first called to the Wisconsin River, south of the Kilbourn Dam, around 4:25 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, after reports of a boat that had capsized. Officers say that three people were on the boat at the time of its capsizing. However, one person was able to swim safely to shore and was treated and evaluated at the scene.
On Friday, April 4, crews found a ‘submerged item of interest.’ A search boat responded and found one of the two missing persons submerged and dead. On Saturday, the body was identified as Luis F. Di Filioppo, a 75-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois. That was also when authorities identified Francesco.
Francesco L. Di Filippo
Francesco L. Di Filippo
Sunday’s efforts included a boat covering 18 miles of shoreline from the Kilbourn Dam, south on the river to the west end of the Pine Island State Natural Area. Officers say that the water conditions are still extremely high and volatile, making search efforts extremely difficult.
“Until the water reaches a manageable level, we will not be able to deploy divers or underwater drones to check areas of interest. Until then, we will continue with shoreline searches in accessible areas,” the Wisconsin Dells Police Department stated in its release.
Officers noted that water conditions are expected to subside in the following days.
Local 5 will continue to provide updates on this story as more information is shared.
