UPPER RED LAKE — Bystanders used a rope to rescue two men who fell through the ice on an all-terrain vehicle Thursday night on Upper Red Lake.
An angler called 911 at 5:09 p.m. Thursday to report two of his party of four broke through the ice with a Polaris Ranger on the southeastern part of the lake. The 67-year-old men were both wearing buoyant ice suits keeping them afloat, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office reported.
After the bystander rescue, the men returned to a staffed lodge on Joas Beach Road Northeast, where they were warmed with blankets and heaters. First responders responded to the lodge and treated the men for hypothermia and cold weather exposure. The air temperature at the time of the incident was near zero degrees.
One man was transported to Sanford Health hospital in Bemidji with a broken hand.
In a news release, the sheriff’s office stated that ice remains inconsistent in some areas despite improvements with the cold weather. The men accessed the lake from a location with no guide service.
“Always check with local experts such as guides, resorts and bait shops before going on the ice,” the release stated. “Check ice thickness frequently. It is recommended to remain in areas that have been checked.”
The area the Polaris Ranger fell through is approximately 1 mile out from Joas Beach Road NE and has been marked. The owner is making arrangements for the removal of the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
Assisting at the scene were Kelliher Fire and Rescue, Kelliher First Responders, Blackduck Ambulance, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservations officers and the bystanders.