Almost three dozen people were rescued late Saturday morning after having been stranded on a chunk of ice in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
At least 34 people were rescued from a chunk of ice that had separated from the main shore, taking the gear belonging to several ice fishermen as well, WLUK reported. Initially, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office reported rescuing 27 people in a Facebook post. This number was later changed.
“I heard reports that the ice had drifted out approximately 2,000 feet from where they originally were,” said BCSO Lt. John Bain.
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“So our ice boat operators indicated that the ice had moved farther each trip that they went back for a rescue,” added Bain.
The BCSO, New Franken Fire Department, Green Bay Fire Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard worked together to save the people who had been stranded on the chunk of ice, according to the Facebook statement.
While it is currently unknown what caused the chunk of ice to separate, Bain believes that it might have been caused by a large ship passing through the area, adding that “the current and the winds” can also play a factor.
“A barge may have come through, and that may have disrupted the ice,” said Bain. “The disruption of the ice, along with naturally occurring conditions, may have led to that. The current and the winds, things can change fast, and you’re not always aware that they are changing.”
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There were no reported injuries relating to the incident, with the BCSO saying that they were “happy to report a good ending to this extremely dangerous situation,” according to the Facebook post.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office for a statement but did not receive a response.
