Body of missing ice fisherman recovered from Oregon lake

John Ross Ferrara
·2 min read
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The body of a missing Oregon man who is presumed to have drowned while ice fishing on or before Jan. 25, was recovered from Phillips Lake in Baker County on Jan. 27.

The Baker County Sheriff’s Office began searching the area on Jan. 25 after receiving a report of suspicious circumstances on the lake.

“The reporting party was concerned after locating a chair on the ice with what appeared to be a large hole next to it,” the Baker County Sheriff’s Office announced. “The caller also noted there was a vehicle parked at the boat ramp with a dog hiding under it but had not seen anyone else in the area.”

  • (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)
    Rescue efforts to recover Mark Norenberg’s body from Phillips Lake. (Photos courtesy of the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.)
  • (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)
    (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)
  • (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)
    (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)
  • (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)
    (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff's Office)

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Initial efforts by the Baker County Search and Rescue team were unsuccessful. However, multiple items belonging to 69-year-old Mark Norenberg of Granite, Ore. were recovered from the scene.

The search and rescue team and friends and Norenberg’s friends and family returned to the lake on Jan. 27 to clear large chunks of ice from the lake’s surface to allow rescue divers to search the lake.

“Family and friends of Mark Norenberg used two boats to pull themselves across the ice,” the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said. “From there, they used chainsaws to cut a channel back to shore. As the ice slabs were sawed into smaller pieces, crews utilized a rope system and manual labor to clear the channel.”

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The clearing of the ice allowed divers to locate and retrieve Norenberg’s body from the water.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in this operation,” Douglas County Sheriff Travis Ash said in a statement. “A number of people made this mission possible by contributing their time and personal equipment, including Mark’s friends and family. This was a tragic situation, and I offer my sincerest condolences to those grieving the loss of Mark.”

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