Authorities in Pottawattamie County today (Tuesday) identified the victim of a canoeing accident that took place Sunday afternoon on Lake Manawa, in Council Bluffs. Bluffs Police Sgt. Chad Meyers said the victim, whose body was recovered late Monday morning, has been positively identified by the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office as 39 year old Jeremiah Beckmann of Omaha, Ne. Beckmann’s family has been notified of the identification. Beckmann was an active duty member of the United States Air Force and was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base.

Meyers says Beckman and 36-year old Benjamin Ferguson, also of Omaha were on the Lake when their  canoe capsized at around 1:45-p.m. Sunday. The accident happened as the men were maneuvering the canoe through an area of ice on the southwest side of the lake, near Boy Scout Island.

Ferguson, who is a Master Sergeant at Offut AFB and assigned to the Air Force Weather Agency, swam to the shore and walked to the park ranger’s house to report the incident. Beckmann had tried to hang onto the tipped over canoe, but slipped under the water. At the time of the accident, the water temperature was around 35 degrees.

Ferguson was taken to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs hospital for treatment of hypothermia. Council Bluffs Fire Dept. rescue crews had searched the lake until 5:30-p.m. Sunday without finding the Beckmann. Members of the Omaha Fire Department’s Dive Team and Council Bluffs Fire Department resumed their search for Beckmann at 8-a.m. Monday. His body was recovered at around 11-a.m that day.