The body of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire student Michael Noll, 22, was found Tuesday night under thin ice in Half Moon Lake.

According to police, Noll’s body was found around 6 p.m. The body was removed from the lake about 90 minutes later, and Noll’s family in Rochester, Minn., was immediately contacted.

Noll was last seen leaving a bar late with a couple of friends after his Nov. 6 birthday celebration

Officers found Noll’s wallet on the body and the description of the clothes matched what Noll was last seen wearing when he left the bar.

Police had plans Wednesday to transport the body to the Ramsey County, Minn., medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.

Noll, along with three other college-age students, were reported missing around the same time in November. Investigators from Wisconsin and Minnesota began searches in the areas of their respective colleges but turned up nothing at the time. The other three students attended schools located in Minnesota.

Investigators have said that the disappearances are unrelated.

UW-Madison Police Sgt. Johnnie Diamante expressed sorrow at the situation.

“It is very, very unfortunate to have anything of that magnitude occur on any college campus,” Diamante said.

In addition, he offered safety tips to students to help avoid incidents of this sort in the future.

Diamante said using transportation services, traveling on well-lit routes and going out in groups of two or more are essential to a safe evening.

“Go out with people you know and trust,” Diamante said. “Leave together and come back together.”

He also said picking up a free safety whistle at the Campus Women’s Center and enrolling in free self-defense classes are good safety precautions to take. However, Diamante stressed staying in large groups while out and being protective of the friends one goes out to bars or parties with.

“The biggest thing is safety in groups,” Diamante said.