Crews find truck, continue search for Vermont ice fisherman missing on Lake Champlain

ORWELL – The Vermont State Police will continue their search Wednesday for a missing ice fisherman who didn’t return from an outing on Lake Champlain.

On Tuesday, crews discovered personal belongings of Lee Wiktorski, 61, on the ice. Later in the day, divers located a vehicle underwater that matched the description of the Benson resident's silver pick-up truck. The truck was submerged in about 22 feet of water and it was empty, state police said. 

"Water currents in the area made the dive more difficult, and visibility was near zero," state police said in an updated news release.  

Police say a concerned relative reported late Monday that Wiktorski hadn’t returned from his fishing trip on the lake near Orwell. An overnight search included multiple first responders on the ice and support from a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew.

Search efforts Tuesday included a dive team and airboats, along with an aircraft from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. First responders also searched the surrounding area and shoreline, including with K-9s, but there were no signs of the missing fisherman.

The search was suspended Tuesday evening due to heavy snow, gusting winds and extremely limited visibility. When conditions permit, the search is expected to continue Wednesday.