25 Rescued From Great Lakes; Coast Guard Warns Of Dangerous Ice Floes

The U.S. Coast Guard is warning winter enthusiasts of unstable ice conditions on the Great Lakes following two major rescues Monday.

A total of 25 people were brought to safety when Coast Guard boat and air crews responded to ice floes off Wisconsin and Michigan, according to authorities.

“The two large ice rescue cases highlight the unpredictability of the ice on the Great Lakes, especially with fluctuating temperatures,” Capt. Timothy Holt, chief of incident management for the Coast Guard’s Ninth District, said in a news release.

Station Sturgeon Bay came to the aid of 11 people stranded on an ice floe off Sherwood Point, Wisconsin, along Lake Michigan, working with partner agencies to bring five adults and six children to shore, according to the news release.

Another 14 people were rescued in Sebewaing, Michigan, which borders Lake Huron, as part of a response by Station Saginaw River, Air Station Detroit and Air Station Traverse City with partner agencies, the news release said. Two of the 14 brought to shore received treatment for hypothermia, according to the Coast Guard.

Unstable ice conditions and varying air temperatures have resulted in historically low ice coverage on the Great Lakes, the news release said. Before going out on the water, the Coast Guard asks people to remember the following:

• Take precautions. The risk of death from accidental immersion during cold weather is higher than in warm seasons, as survival time is greatly diminished.
• Dress for the water temperatures. Cold water lowers body heat dramatically faster than cold air.
• Never leave without a VHF-FM radio or personal locator beacon and always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return, and advise them of any changes in the plan. Every minute counts in a cold-water environment, and preparation may mean the difference between life and death.
• Always check ice conditions before venturing on or near the water.