BELGRADE (NEWS CENTER Maine) - Nine people went through the ice while snowmobiling over a 36-hour period in Maine.
Game wardens say it’s a miracle that no one lost their life. Our recent cold snap, that featured several continuous nights of sub-zero temperatures, has lead people to believe the ice is safe. But that all changed last week with warmer temperatures and heavy rain.
Wednesday night in Southwest Harbor a father, his 12-year-old daughter and her friend went through the ice on Long Pond. All three managed to get out and swim safely to shore.
“There are some situations there where it really makes you wonder how they did it, but they fought through it and made it back up on the ice to safety thankfully,” said Maine Game Warden John MacDonald.
That same night two men broke through the ice on Manhanock Pond in Sangerville. One of them wrote on his Facebook page “I said to myself this is it… I’m not getting out of this. Then all of a sudden I hit solid ice on my army crawl with my chin in the water and sinking".
MacDonald says anytime you end up in the water like that, you’re lucky to get back on solid ice.
“For them to get back up on the ice, kudos to them, because that is tough,” he said.
Thursday night rescue workers spent nearly two hours getting to two teenagers who’s snowmobile went through the ice on the outlet of Long Pond in Belgrade. Both were treated for Hypothermia. Belgrade’s fire chief says the outcome could have been much different if one of the teens did not have a waterproof cell phone. He was able to lead rescuers to their position.
“I don’t think people would’ve heard him because there’s no houses near him where they were located and stuff, so it would’ve been hard for someone to hear him holler”, said Chief Dan MacKenzie.
Wardens say nine people going through the ice and all coming away from it with minor injuries is an unlikely scenario.
“Just every one of them is kind of a miracle”, said MacDonald.
Wardens are asking people to stop and think before going out over water. They say it’s just not worth it given the current conditions.