Body Pulled From Kennebec County Lake Identified

A body recovered from an area lake on Monday has been identified as a missing Belgrade man, according to the Maine Warden Service.

The body pulled from Salmon Lake in Belgrade has been positively identified as Derek Palange, 40, Cpl. John MacDonald said on Tuesday.

Palange had been missing since Jan. 9.

Game wardens responded to the lake after a fisherman reporting seeing an ATV under the ice on Sunday.

A warden service dive team searched the lake and recovered the man's body in 28 feet of water.

Preliminary results indicate Palange died of accidental drowning after his ATV entered open water on Jan. 9, MacDonald said.