46 Ice Fisherman Rescued After Ice Floe Breaks Away In Lake Erie

Dozens of ice fisherman had to be rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after the ice floe they were on broke away, leaving them stranded in the middle of Lake Erie. When the ice first started to break apart around one hundred fishermen managed to make it shore by swimming or running across the ice bridges that remained.

46 fisherman remained stuck on the ice floes, and the Coast Guard had to send air boats to bring them safely to the shore.

"It happened really fast," Tony Adkins told the Toledo Blade newspaper. "We didn’t know there was open water beyond us."

The Coast issued a statement warning people not to go ice fishing as the temperatures rise.

"As temperatures begin to rise, the Coast Guard strongly urges people not to go out onto ice," the Coast Guard said. "Ice may look safe but it is difficult to determine the thickness visually, and the increase in warm weather will continue to melt and weaken the ice."

Another fisherman, James Gibelyou, who had to be recused agreed and told Fox 8 that they should not have gone out when the temperatures were above freezing.

"I thank all of them, honestly. I walked around to each and every one of them and shook their hands. Honestly, they shouldn't have had to do that. None of us should have been out there, but, thankfully, they took the time out to get out there and rescue us," he said.