Hope Fades in Finding Final Lake of The Woods Boating Victim

HOPES OF FINDING THE THIRD VICTIM OF A TRAGIC BOATING ACCIDENT THAT CLAIMED THE LIVES OF THREE BAUDETTE MEN ON LAKE OF THE WOODS EARLIER THIS MONTH.. ARE BEGINNING TO FADE. "KEITH AYERS" REMAINS MISSING. THE BODIES OF "JUSTIN HAUGTVEDT" AND "CODY OSTENDORF" WERE RECOVERED 2 WEEKS AGO. HOWEVER, AS VALLEY NEWS TEAMS NEIL CARLSON SHOWS US, COLDER WEATHER WILL SOON SIGNIFICANTLY CUT THE CHANCES OF FINDING THE FINAL VICTIM. FROM THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE OF THE WOODS NEAR BAUDETTE, IT HAPPENED 35 MILES NORTH OUT ON THE BIG LAKE. THE TRIO OF FISHING BUDDIES, ALL EXPERIENCED ON LAKE OF THE WOODS , LEFT A RESORT ON OAK ISLAND, LATE AT NIGHT ON OCTOBER 2ND TO NEARBY FLAG ISLAND. AT THE TIME THERE WERE STRONG WINDS AND BIG WAVES. THEIR CAPSIZED, 16-FOOT BOAT WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY. AT THE TIME, IT QUICKLY SPURRED HOPEFUL AND KIND COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS OF THE YOUNG VICTIMS. KYLE HANSON, FRIEND OF VICTIMS: "YEAH, REALLY NICE GUYS. REALLY KIND HEARTED. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MEAN BONE IN THEIR BODIES." BUT THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE A HAPPY ENDING TO THIS STORY. THE BODY OF JUSTIN HAUGTVEDT WAS FOUND OCTOBER 9TH NEAR OAK ISLAND AND THE BODY OF CODY OSTENDORF WAS FOUND OCTOBER 11TH BY FLAG ISLAND. KEITH AYERS REMAINS MISSING AND THE SEARCH HAS BEEN SCALED WAY BACK. SHERIFF GARY FISH, LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY: "WE'VE DONE A FEW MORE BOAT SEARCHES, ALONG THE SHORELINE. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE STICKING TO AIR SEARCHES AT THIS POINT." REPORTER: "WHEY AN AGENCY HAS SOME AVAILABLE TIME THEY'LL TAKE A LOOK WITH A PLANE?" FISH: "WEATHER PERMITTING AND THE RESOURCE IS MADE AVAILABLE TO US, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE DOING AIR SEARCHES." SHERIFF FISH SAYS THEY SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO SEE A BODY FROM THE AIR. BUT, ONCE THE LAKE FREEZES OVER, CHANCES BECOME VERY SLIM OF FINDING HIM NEXT YEAR. NEIL CARLSON, VALLEY NEWS LIVE. SHERIFF FISH SAYS HE'S RECEIVED PRELIMINARY AUTOPSY RESULTS ON THE 2 MEN WHO WERE FOUND. HOWEVER, HE SAYS HE'S NOT RELEASING THOSE RESULTS YET, BECAUSE THIS IS STILL AN OPEN CASE. THE SHERIFF ALSO SAYS, FINANCIALLY.. THE COST OF THE MASSIVE SEARCH WILL COST THE COUNTY VERY LITTLE, SINCE ALL OF THE OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED DONATED THEIR TIME AND EFFORT.