Bodies of ATV riders who went through the ice on Upper Red Lake identified

Two bodies that were recovered from Upper Red Lake on Monday have been identified.

According to reports Tuesday afternoon, relatives and authorities identified the victims as Melissa Seidenstricker, 30, of Princeton and Zeth Knyphausen, 29, of Stacy. The two were riding an all-terrain vehicle that went through the ice on Upper Red Lake over the weekend. The ATV was recovered earlier Monday.

The two were last seen ice fishing on the lake on Saturday, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office said. The bodies and ATV were reportedly found in the same area on the south side of the lake, located about 60 miles north of Bemidji, in northwestern Minnesota.

Over the weekend, a local resort asked for help in locating the pair on its Facebook page. According to the post, the two had rented a sleeper cabin at Rogers Resort on Upper Red for the weekend and all of their belongings were still there as of Monday morning. Their vehicle was found still parked at the resort.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, assisting were local resorts, the DNR, Kelliher-Waskish Fire-Rescue, Blackduck Ambulance, Bemidji Fire Department, Blackduck Police Department and the Lakes Area Dive Team. Aircraft equipped with thermal imaging also was used in the search.

The Sheriff’s Office added that poor ice conditions hindered recovery efforts, and with unseasonably warm weather of late, continued to warn against going on the ice. And in the most recent Minnesota DNR conservation officers’ report, CO Hannah Mishler said she has recently helped with “multiple ice rescues/ATVs through the ice on Upper Red Lake.” CO Kyle Quittschreiber indicated the same in the report, and both noted the poor ice conditions, with Mishler urging those who do travel on the ice to use caution.