CLAYTON COUNTY, Iowa – Iowa DNR Conservation Officers responded to a boating incident on the Mississippi River near Clayton, at around 4:30-p.m., Saturday. Authorities say two people from Wisconsin were injured when the boat apparently hit a large wake, causing a passenger to be ejected into the water and injuring both the passenger and the operator.

The operator of the boat was airlifted to the U of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with serious injuries and the passenger was taken by ground ambulance to a Wisconsin hospital where he was treated and released for his injuries. Both men, who were wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs), are from Cassville, WI.

Investigators believe the PFD likely saved the life of the passenger when he was ejected from the boat and was unconscious in the water. The DNR continues to investigate the incident.