CATAWBA ISLAND, Ohio — A mass rescue operation on Lake Erie resulted in a dozen and a half people being rescued.
Coast Guardsmen from the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Division, along with a Good Samaritan rescued 18 people near Catawba Island in Lake Erie, according to a tweet from the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes region.
#BREAKING Final number rescued from ice floe near #CatawbaIsland in #LakeErie today was 18; none needed medical attention. Photo below taken by Coast Guard helicopter crew. More details in attached news release at: https://t.co/NZcrCLU7mg #GreatLakesWinterSafety pic.twitter.com/9VrwW7DQQe
— USCG Great Lakes (@USCGGreatLakes) February 6, 2022
A spokesperson said the Coast Guard air crew was on a routine flight when they spotted an ice floe that broke away and people stranded on it.
Chief Petty Officer John Masson said the flight crew described those stuck as ice fisherman.
Seven people were rescued by the helicopter crew, seven by the Good Samaritan who happened to be in the area and four were rescued and transported by the Coast Guard from Station Marblehead.
Satellite imagery shows ice breaking on Lake Erie. (Photo courtesy of NASA)
Emergency medical services personnel were on the scene, along with local law enforcement, fire department and Ohio Department of Natural Resources from Ottawa County
Masson said none of the rescued individuals needed medical attention.
The Coast Guard said in a press release it urges those who seek recreational opportunities on the ice to “take precautions, not chances.” People are asked to dress appropriately for the water temperature, not the air temperature; to wear a life jacket and carry a reliable form of communication; and to carry icepicks or screwdrivers that can help them self-rescue if they go through the ice.
“There’s no such thing as safe ice, but people can mitigate their risks,” said Lt. j.g. Jeremiah Schiessel, from Coast Guard Sector Detroit. “Always be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Great Lakes ice is unpredictable, and conditions can change fast.”
Initially, the Coast Guard reported 20 people needed assistance when an ice floe broke away while people were snowmobiling and performing other activities.
#BREAKING Mass rescue of 20 people underway with @USCG Station Marblehead airboat and Air Station Detroit helicopter near #CatawbaIsland in #LakeErie. Ice floe broke away while people were snowmobiling, etc. Good Samaritan with airboat also assisting. #GreatLakesWinterSafety
— USCG Great Lakes (@USCGGreatLakes) February 6, 2022
