A man who swam across the St. Croix River north of the Twin Cities didn’t make it on his return effort Saturday and drowned, authorities said.

The incident east of Rush City near Frandsen Landing was reported to law enforcement shortly before 6 p.m., according to the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim Devin M. Johnson, 28, of Harris.

Johnson made it across the river to the Wisconsin side and “was on his way back when he began to have trouble swimming,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Witnesses tried to locate Johnson, who was found by sheriff’s personnel about 8:05 p.m.

Paul Walsh