April 8, 2025
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – The search for 20-year-old Francesco Di Filippo who went missing after a boat capsized on the Wisconsin River over the weekend continues. Di Filippo was one of three people who were on a boat that capsized late last Thursday. One of those people was able to swim to shore while another, 75-year-old Luis Di Filippo of Chicago, was found dead the next day.
On Tuesday, Wisconsin Dells Police Chief Nicholas Brinker said that river conditions are too high and fast for divers and drones to be used in the areas of the river that need to be checked.
Specifically, police are waiting for discharge rates from the Kilbourn Dam to drop down around 9,000-10,000 cubic feet per second. Brinker said that, as of Tuesday morning that rate was 19,300 cubic feet per second.
Officials say the discharge rate is dropping, but it could be up to a week before conditions are where they need to be.
“We need two things to happen. The river level needs to drop significantly, and/or the water temperature to rise,” Brinker said. “As of Sunday morning the river temperature was around 41°F.”
Crews from law enforcement agencies and volunteer organizations searched the river by boat from the Kilbourn Dam to Lake Wisconsin, and volunteers were able to search from Lake Wisconsin to the Pine Island area.
The latest statement from the Wisconsin Dells Police Department states:
We have not yet recovered Francesco. River conditions continue to be too high and fast for divers and drones to be deployed into the areas of interest that we need to check. We are monitoring the Kilbourn Dam discharge rate several times a day. We are starting to see the discharge rate slowly drop, and we expect that it will be several more days, possibly up to a week before conditions are favorable. As of 9:05am, the discharge rate was 19,300 CFS. For a safe underwater search to be conducted by divers, we would like the discharge rate to be closer to 9,000 – 10,000 CFS. Slightly above that rate, we should be able to deploy drones.
The river has been searched by boat from the Kilbourn Dam to Lake Wisconsin. We were graciously assisted by a group of volunteers that searched from Lake Wisconsin north to the Pine Island Area. As mentioned before, WDPD and KFD, and the DNR searched south to Pine Island from the dam on Saturday and Sunday.
Yesterday we met with the family to discuss our search so far and what we need to happen for future on water and underwater searches to occur. We need two things to happen. The river level needs to drop significantly, and/or the water temperature to rise. As of Sunday morning the river temperature was around 41°F.
We have many resources, including aerial assets and search and recovery groups, standing by so that when we do have a window of opportunity, we will seize it. We are still conducting daily shoreline checks with our patrol staff.
We again ask that any boaters or fishermen on the river to be observant and alert the Wisconsin Dells Police Department if they see anything suspicious.
Our thoughts continue to be with the Di Filippo family as they face this tragedy. We will continue to do everything that we can to bring Francesco home.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
Chief Nicholas Brinker
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