Dozens of people rescued from floating ice sheet on New Year’s Day, Minnesota cops say

Dozens of people were rescued from a floating ice sheet in a Minnesota lake on New Year’s Day, officials said.

Deputies received a report that between 20 and 25 people had become stranded on the ice on Lake of the Woods, a 70-mile-long lake on the U.S.-Canada border, on the afternoon of Jan. 1.

The individuals became stuck when a pressure ridge — an ice formation — “cracked wide open,” according to a Lake of the Woods County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Deputies responded to the scene along with officials from other departments, including the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

They then used UTVs and airboats to help ferry people off the ice, according to the release. A lakeside resort also used a boat to transport people safely to shore.

“By the end, approximately 50 people were rescued off the lake,” according to the release.

Around the same time, a man sank through the ice-covered lake while riding an ATV. He managed to get out of the water and wasn’t injured.

The lake, Minnesota’s largest, is used for ice fishing during the winter months, according to the state’s DNR.

This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 2:25 PM with the headline "Dozens of people rescued from floating ice sheet on New Year’s Day, Minnesota cops say."