A Beltrami County Sheriff in Minnesota received an urgent call from 911 around 11:30 am seeking assistance because a group of anglers were floating on a big chunk of ice.
First responders rushed to Upper Red Lake and were surprised to discover that sixty yards of water were separating them from the fishermen who were trapped on the ice.
The 200 fishermen were hoping for an enjoyable sunny day at their favorite fishing spot. Mother Nature had other plans. They were shocked to find themselves on an ice floe that broke loose and drifted away.
Local agencies, state and tribal agencies were on the scene to help and provide immediate assistance to the fishermen. ATVs, boats, drones, a temporary bridge, and many more interventions were quickly utilized to bring them safely back to the shore.
One of the anglers did a social media livestream while the group were being rescued. He admitted they were careless about listening to recommendations about fishing on the ice during unpredictable weather. Even though the lake was visibly frozen, due to the winds, the ice broke loose and drifted from the shore.
State officials cautioned people planning on going to the area that the weather is unpredictable. The lake typically has hundreds of fishermen during all kinds of weather, but officials warned people to practice safety and judge the conditions before they proceed with their plans.
“When people come up to come fishing, they really need to make sure that they’re listening to outfitters and resorts because we check the ice daily, if not multiple times a day,” said Samantha Youngbauer, one of the first responders.
The County Sheriff’s Office also said that this was not the first time that something like this had happened. In 2014, 50 fishermen on a floating ice floe had to be rescued.