PINCONNING, Mich. (WNEM) – An ice rescue took place on the Saginaw Bay on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Kawkawlin Township Fire Chief Steve Bernreuter said brisk offshore winds likely caused two fishermen to become stranded on an ice floe.
TV5’s James Felton spoke with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office on how the two were brought back to shore.
Two ice fishermen had an eventful afternoon on the Saginaw Bay.
TV5’s camera was there as the pair of fishermen arrived back onshore at Gambill’s Landing, which is near the intersection of E. Newburg Road and N. Peterson Beach Drive. They declined an interview but told Felton off camera that an open water gap they had crossed earlier in the day had since widened, and they could not get back, so they called for help.
Bernreuter said the ice floe they were on was a half-mile long, and as you can imagine, he’s glad the fishermen are OK.
“It’s always a good feeling to get them off the ice safe and sound. You know there’s family here, there’s friends. It’s a pretty close group around here, a lot of these fishermen all know each other. So it’s nice when you get them all off and back here on safe ground,” he said.
Bernreuter said he wants ice fishers to be prepared for whatever may happen on the water.
“No ice is safe ice, but if you’re going to go out, make sure you go out with somebody, or let somebody know where you’re going. And have all your safety equipment with you, so that if something does happen, you’re able to get off the ice, or get ahold of somebody to get you off,” he said.
The Kawkawlin Township Fire Department, Pinconning-Fraser Fire Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard all took part in the ice rescue.
Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day.
Copyright 2025 WNEM. All rights reserved.
Two fishermen were stranded on an ice floe on the Saginaw Bay
In a harrowing tale of survival, two fishermen found themselves stranded on an ice floe in the middle of the Saginaw Bay. The men had ventured out onto the frozen waters in search of a good catch, only to have the ice break apart beneath them, leaving them adrift and at the mercy of the icy waters.
As the winds howled and the temperatures plummeted, the fishermen huddled together for warmth, their only hope of rescue fading with each passing hour. They shouted for help, but the vast expanse of ice and water seemed to swallow their cries.
But just when all hope seemed lost, a rescue team spotted the stranded fishermen and sprang into action. Using specialized equipment and expert navigation, they were able to reach the men and bring them back to safety.
The fishermen were shaken but unharmed, their ordeal a stark reminder of the dangers that can lurk beneath the surface of seemingly solid ice. As they thanked their rescuers and clung to each other in relief, they knew they had narrowly escaped a fate that could have been much worse.
The Saginaw Bay had once again shown its unpredictable and unforgiving nature, but thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of those who came to their aid, these two fishermen would live to fish another day.
Tags:
- Ice Floe Rescue
- Saginaw Bay Fishermen
- Stranded Fishermen
- Ice Floe Survival
- Saginaw Bay Rescue Mission
- Michigan Ice Floe Incident
- Fishermen Rescued on Saginaw Bay
- Dramatic Ice Floe Rescue
- Saginaw Bay Emergency Response
- Saginaw Bay Ice Floe Drama
#fishermen #stranded #ice #floe #Saginaw #Bay
