The United States Coast Guard helped rescue a man, who had fallen through the ice in Lake St. Clair, on Sunday.
Chatham-Kent OPP officials say on February 23, 2020, at approximately 6:43 p.m., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Chatham-Kent detachment responded to a marine incident.
Police say they received a call of a man who had fallen through the ice on Lake St. Clair.
“With the assistance of the Chatham Kent Police Service, Chatham-Kent Fire, and Chatham-Kent EMS the male party was located,” OPP officials said in a media release.
“With no way of getting to the male, United States Coast Guard (USCG) was requested and removed the male from the water. The male party was taken to hospital as a precaution.”
Chris Case, Chatham-Kent’s fire chief, told the Sydenham Current they were told of an ice fisherman, who hadn’t returned to his pick-up point.
“The OPP attended and were asked to assist and in the meantime, it was an American Coast Guard helicopter came in, winched him aboard and took him to safety,” Case said.
“We had an Assistant Chief attend the scene as well, but we didn’t commit any firefighters to rescue because the helicopter appeared quite efficiently and plucked him to safety.”
Case added: “There was a question about whether they were going to land at Chatham, which would’ve been interesting having a U.S. Coast Guard land in the middle of Chatham. They took him elsewhere.”
OPP officials added: “Chatham Kent OPP would like to thank the USCG for their assistance in bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.”
Published reports indicate the the 52-year-old Dover man is now recovering following the incident.
