35 people stranded when huge chunk of ice breaks off in Minnesota lake, rescuers say
First responders rescued 35 people who were stranded on a piece of ice that broke off from the shore of Upper Red Lake on Dec. 17, Minnesota officials said.
Authorities received a call around 4:47 p.m. that dozens of people were stranded 40-50 feet from land, according to a Dec. 18 press release from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.
As rescuers made their way to the scene, the floating ice continued moving farther into the frigid lake, the sheriff’s office said. Strong winds blew the ice chunk hundreds of feet away from shore, taking 35 unwilling passengers with it, the sheriff’s office said.
According to officials, all 35 people were evacuated by airboat and back on shore by 8:00 p.m. with no injuries reported.
Unseasonably warm weather and recent rainfall have led to inconsistent ice conditions, officials said.
In this particular case, wind was also a contributing factor, Sheriff Jason Riggs told the Star Tribune.
“Every year we deal with this,” Riggs said, adding that wind gusts of 40 mph were pushing the ice floe. “There’s always this potential, depending on which way the winds blow.”
In November 2022, more than 200 anglers were rescued when ice broke away from shore in a similar incident.
Upper Red Lake, located about 290 miles northwest of Minneapolis, is a popular destination for ice fishing.
This story was originally published December 18, 2023 at 2:24 PM with the headline "35 people stranded when huge chunk of ice breaks off in Minnesota lake, rescuers say."
