26 ice anglers rescued after floating out onto Lake Superior
Officials were able to rescue the anglers within an hour.
On Tuesday, twenty-six Minnesota fishermen floated into Lake Superior, necessitating a rescue from the Duluth Fire Department.
The anglers were using individual fish houses when the ice loosened and started to drift, the department said in a Facebook post.
It took about an hour to rescue the group.
Only about 10 per cent of Lake Superior is currently covered with ice, which is well below average for this time of year. The scarcity of ice makes it easier for floes to break away and float out onto the water.
ICE SAFETY
Ice rescues aren't uncommon in Canada and the U.S. this time of year, especially when temperatures hover around the freezing marlk.
According to the Canadian Red Cross, ice should be 15 cm thick for walking on, 20 cm thick for group skating, and 25 cm thick for snowmobile use.
"If the ice is grey or greyish, do not step out onto it," writes Weather Network science writer Scott Sutherland.
"If the ice is any shade of grey, it is likely decaying or melting, and it is probably fairly thin and weak. The source of the grey colour is typically the dark liquid water underneath showing through the ice. Even if it is very light or pale grey, it is best to err on the side of caution."