ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz today has authorized the Minnesota National Guard to transport equipment that will support search and rescue operations in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). The assistance is authorized by Emergency Executive Order 24-04.

On May 18, four canoeists went over Curtain Falls inside the BWCA. Two members of the group have been rescued; however, two Minnesota residents remain missing.

“No one expects their vacation to turn to crisis. Yet, when four canoeists went over Curtain Falls in the BWCA, this became a reality,” said Governor Walz. “My family is intimately familiar with the fear and heartbreak these canoeists are feeling. We are praying for those involved and immensely grateful to everyone from the Sheriff’s office to the National Guard who are supporting this mission.”

The Minnesota National Guard will provide a CH-47 (Chinook) helicopter and four crew members for the mission in the BWCA. The crew has been requested to provide lift assets to transport a boat and additional equipment from the Ely airport to the area where two Minnesotans went missing. This mission is in response to a request for assistance from the St. Louis County Sheriff.