UPDATE: Gear floats to shore, 66 fishermen get equipment back

(WFRV) – Gear thought to be taken out of reach on an ice chunk is back into the 66 lucky fishermen’s hands.

After the massive rescue effort, by water and air, all of the 66 fishermen were taken back to shore safely, minus their equipment.

Their gear had to be left on the ice that was separated from the land.

The DNR tells Local 5 that a change in wind direction pushed the ice chunk back to shore, allowing the fishermen to get their stuff back.

WATCH: U.S. Coast Guard rescues fisherman from Bay of Green Bay

Feb 5, 2021 2:41 p.m.

(WFRV) – The United States Coast Guard released a video of a harrowing ice rescue that happened Thursday.

Our sister station WJMN in Marquette, Michigan spoke with Lt. Erin Nolan, a pilot with the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City.

Lt. Nolan was one of the pilots that flew half an hour from Traverse City to the Sturgeon Bay canal to help rescue 66 fishermen who became stranded on the ice.

According to Nolan, the crack in the ice ran north to south and by the time they rescued everyone, it had grown to a couple hundred yard wide.

Multiple teams responded to the scene with airboats to help clear over 100 ice shanties.

Nolan went on to say that before you head out on the ice, know basic ice safety like having all the necessary gear, be self-aware and having the ability to self-rescue if needed.

UPDATE: 66 fishermen rescued from Bay of Green Bay

Feb 4, 2021, 10:21 p.m.

(WFRV) – According to the Coast Guard, 66 ice fisherman were rescued from the Bay of Green Bay.

Chief Deputy Patrick McCarty with the Door County Sheriff’s Office says they got a report of a crack on the ice opening around 9 a.m.

The split started off being nearly 10 feet, which eventually turned into a mile.

Coast Guard members say the fishermen were trapped on an ice flow and had to rescue them at Sherwood Point in Nasewaupee, the Sand Bay area in Gardner, and the Little Harbor area in Sevastopol.

Two helicopters, three airboats, and other skiffs were used by multiple agencies, including the DNR and Coast Guard, for the rescue, which lasted three and a half hours.

Authorities say everyone is okay and no one needed medical attention.

The Door County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind all winter sport enthusiasts to always check the local weather conditions before heading out and they should carry a reliable means of communications with them.

Original Story: Ice rescues happening in Door County after large separation on ice

Feb 4, 2021 1:09 p.m.

(WFRV) – Multiple crews in Door County are currently on ice recue missions.

According to the Door County Sheriff’s Facebook page, a large separation of ice extending from Little Harbor and Southwest to the Snake Island area has formed.