Woman presumed drowned at the Wyalusing Beach
Virginia Aberle
Official recovery efforts called off, volunteers continue search
Since Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 2:48 a.m., the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Bloomington Fire Department, have conducted recovery efforts for a presumed drowning victim in the Mississippi River at Wyalusing Beach. The victim has been identified as 29-year-old Virginia Ann Aberle, of Chicago, Ill.
After four days of recovery efforts, the difficult decision was made to call the search off, Sheriff Nate Dreckman said.
The sheriff’s office is grateful for the many volunteers who spent countless hours searching for Virginia in the Mississippi. Each day of the recovery, there were 10 to 15 boats and jet skis on the water with over 40 volunteers.
The departments and agencies that assisted in the recovery attempt included the West Grant EMS, Grant County Dive Team, Marquette (Iowa) Fire Department, McGregor (Iowa) Fire Department, Garnavillo (Iowa) Fire Department, Guttenberg (Iowa) Fire Department, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DNR, Bagley Fire Department, Cassville Fire Department, Glen Haven Fire Department, Boscobel Fire Department, Blue River Fire Department, Prairie du Chien Fire Department, Southwest Technical Rescue Team, Wisconsin DNR, Wyalusing State Park Rangers, Lancaster EMS, Grant County Emergency Management, Jo Daviess County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office, Bruce’s Legacy–sonar equipment, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, Darlington Fire Department, Beloit Fire Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wauzeka Fire Department, Argyle Fire Department, Stoddard Fire Department, Shelby Fire Department, Sparta Fire Department, Galesville Fire Department, Blair-Preston Fire Department, Trempealeau Fire Department and the Wisconsin K9 SOS Search and Rescue.
There were numerous other volunteers and generous donations of food, water and Gatorade.
As the Courier previously published Aug. 3 and has followed up on its Facebook page, Aberle was reported missing following an early-morning swim Aug 3. Friends said Aberle jumped off a dock around 2 a.m. Wednesday and never resurfaced.
Though the official recovery efforts coordinated by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office have been called off, volunteers will continue their efforts to find the body of Virginia Aberle. Volunteers are asked to check in at the Wyalusing Beach. For details, contact Emily at (608) 476-2331.
The sheriff asks anyone boating on the Mississippi between Guttenberg and the Wyalusing Beach to keep their eyes open for Aberle’s body. If her body is located, please call 911 so that the dispatcher can get appropriate assistance.
