Hundreds of stranded fishermen had to be rescued on Monday after a chunk of ice they were stationed on broke from the shoreline and drifted out to sea.
According to a press release from Chief Deputy Jarrett Walton in Minnesota’s Beltrami County, his department received a 911 call on Monday around 11:30 am that reported a large group of fishermen, who had been fishing on Upper Red Lake, were stuck at sea about 30 yards away from the shoreline. The department then utilized, drones, ATV’s, airboats, water rescue boats and even a “temporary bridge” to rescue the estimated 200 fishermen from the ice. But according to StarTribune, the fisherman weren’t that fazed by their situation.
“Breakers and cracks are just part of our every day,” local fisherman and resort owner Adam Studniski told the outlet. “This one just got a little wilder but it was a super chill, claim situation. There was no panic. Nobody got hurt.”
He added that the only aspect of the whole ordeal that bummed out the fishermen was that they couldn’t continue doing their favorite activity.
“Everyone just wanted to stay fishing,” Studniski added.
This isn’t the first time people have been stranded out at sea after a block ice broke from the shore. In December 2021, a father and son had to be rescued after a similar block of ice broke off the shoreline. In November 2019, 11 people were also stranded on pieces of ice floating out to sea.
Chief Deputy Walton added that while Upper Red Lake is a premier fishing spot, visitors should be wary of this “very unpredictable” time of year.
“Extreme caution should be used when heading on the ice and to check the thickness frequently to ensure an adequate amount of ice,” he wrote.
