OKOBOJI, IOWA – Two young men from South Dakota nearly drowned in separate incidents on Northern Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji over the holiday, authorities say.
Multiple agencies were dispatched to the area of Millers Bay on Tuesday July 4th, 2023 at approximately 4:11 PM for a male patient who was drowning. The victim Randy Vilayphone, age 21, from Sioux Falls South Dakota could be seen under the water and multiple attempts by bystanders to rescue him were made but were unsuccessful. Divers from the Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire and Rescue arrived on the scene via the Lakes Area Fire Boat and immediately deployed 2 divers and recovered the victim bringing him to the surface where EMS providers on the fire boat immediately began resuscitation efforts while transporting the victim to the shore to meet with Milford Rescue and Lakes Regional Healthcare personnel to continue the resuscitation efforts. Vilayphone was transported to Lakes Regional Healthcare and then later on to a Sioux Falls hospital where his condition is currently unknown.
Vilayphone was on a vessel and how he ended up in the water remains under investigation by the Iowa DNR and Dickinson County Sheriffâs office. Lake temperatures at the time of the incident were 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and the approximate depth of the water was 13 feet deep where Vilayphone was recovered.
Assisting at the scene in Millers Bay were The Dickinson County Sheriffâs Office and communication center, Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire and Rescue and Dive Team, Milford Fire and rescue, Lakes Regional Healthcare Ambulance, Iowa DNR Lake Patrol, Dickinson County Emergency Management and the Iowa State Patrol.
Multiple agencies were once again dispatched to the Arnolds Park City Beach near preservation plaza on July 4, 2023 at approximately 7:31 PM for a male face down in the water drowning. The victim Atem Kiir, age 22, from Sioux Falls South Dakota had been rescued by bystanders and brought to the beach where bystanders started CPR. Arnolds Park Police Officers arrived first on scene and continued resuscitation efforts including application of an AED. Arnolds Park/Okoboji EMS providers arrived shortly after and continued resuscitative efforts on the victim until he could be transferred to the care of LRH Paramedics. Resuscitation efforts continued throughout transport and patient was later transferred from Lakes Regional Healthcare to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls by ambulance where his condition is currently unknown.
Kiir was attempting to swim out to a buoy off of City Beach when he began to struggle in the water. A bystander swimming near him recognized he was in trouble and started to swim with him back toward shore but also became fatigued during the rescue attempt and thatâs when another bystander entered the water from the beach and was able to bring Kiir all the way to the beach and begin efforts to resuscitate him.
Assisting at the City Beach scene were Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire and Rescue and Dive team, Lakes Regional Healthcare ambulance, Arnolds Park Police Department, Iowa DNR Lake Patrol, Dickinson County Sheriffâs office.
