Amidst subzero temperatures in the upcoming days, hazardous ice conditions persist on numerous lakes throughout Minnesota.
In three distinct incidents on Minnesota lakes, vehicles breaking through the ice resulted in one fatality and injuries to three individuals in recent days.
An 80-year-old man lost his life on Friday morning when his truck broke through the ice along the eastern shore of Mille Lacs Lake, as reported by the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident was brought to the attention of authorities through a 911 call, indicating a location where a truck had submerged in the ice. The caller took the initiative to retrieve the man’s body from the water; the victim had been equipped with a flotation device.
About 6 inches of ice was reported in the area by authorities. According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), a minimum of more than 13 inches of ice is required to safely support a medium-size pickup.
On Friday morning, in Benton County, a 16-year-old boy was treated for hypothermia after the ice on Little Rock Lake gave way under his snowmobile.
A 911 caller reported witnessing the snowmobile breaking through the ice, and the operator managed to climb back onto the ice. The teen reached a fish house, and an angler transported him to the St. Regis Lake access.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies discovered the incident occurred about one-half mile from shore when the boy encountered open water ahead. Despite attempting to stop the snowmobile, he was unable to avoid falling into the open water.
“Even with the drop in temperatures over the last several days, significant portions of Little Rock Lake and other area lakes still contain thin ice and open water,” cautioned the sheriff’s office. “Extreme caution is advised for anyone venturing onto the ice, along with the use of appropriate tools to test ice thickness and having self-rescue or flotation devices readily available.”
On Thursday evening in Beltrami County, two men, both 67 years old, were rescued after their UTV broke through the ice a mile from the southeast shore of Upper Red Lake, where temperatures were near zero at the time.
Wearing buoyant ice suits that kept them afloat, the men were aided by bystanders who used a rope to extricate them from the water. One of the men received on-site treatment and was released, while the other was transported to a Bemidji hospital for treatment of hypothermia and a broken hand.
“While ice conditions have improved with colder weather, ice remains inconsistent in areas,” as stated by the sheriff’s office. “Always check with local experts such as guides, resorts, and bait shops before going on the ice. Check ice thickness frequently. It is recommended to remain in areas that have been checked.”
The specific location where the UTV broke through has now been marked, as reported by the sheriff’s office. The vehicle access to Upper Red Lake had been restricted by the sheriff’s office on Dec. 30 after multiple incidents of people getting stranded or breaking through the ice, and this ban was lifted on Wednesday morning.
Arrangements are currently being made to remove the vehicles from the water in both the Benton and Beltrami County incidents.
