2 men rescued Thursday morning after ATV breaks through ice on Upper Red Lake

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Two men were rescued after falling through the ice while riding an ATV on Upper Red Lake Thursday morning.

According to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, on Dec. 28 at 7:29 a.m., emergency dispatchers received a call from a pair of fishermen who reported they fell through the ice on the vehicle, but were able to get out of the water. The men told dispatchers they were stranded about one-and-a-half miles off the southern shore of the lake, near Otto Lane.

An ice rescue team was dispatched to the scene. At the same time, the resort the two men were staying at was also notified of the situation and sent help out to the men.

By 8:05 a.m., the two men arrived back at the resort where they met first responders.

The men reported being cold and wet, but did not reveal any apparent injuries suffered during the incident.

They told law enforcement they will have the ATV removed from the lake, once the ice strengthens.

The sheriff’s office also pleaded with anglers that recent rain and prolonged temperatures above freezing have caused ice conditions to deteriorate.

Adding, many ice houses have fallen into lake from across the region and recovery teams have said they are not able to remove them due to the ice being too weak.

If anglers choose to go onto the ice, the sheriff’s office said, they should check the ice thickness frequently and know where they are travelling. They should also check with area resorts prior to going out onto the ice.