The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office used a specialized vehicle to rescue two men who fell into the water while ice fishing on Lake Erie.
OTTAWA COUNTY, Ohio — Two experienced ice fishermen were rescued Tuesday after falling through the ice on Lake Erie nearly seven miles offshore, prompting authorities to warn that no ice is ever completely safe.
Brian Offenburg and a friend were heading back toward shore after a successful day of fishing when the ice beneath their four-wheeler suddenly gave way.
Offenburg said they had already crossed several pressure cracks without issue.
“We made it five miles back in,” he said. “The last one that we crossed, it just happened in a blink of an eye.”
The ATV began sinking into the frigid water, forcing the men to jump in and push away from the vehicle before climbing onto broken chunks of ice. They crawled toward thicker ice but remained miles from shore, with hypothermia becoming a growing concern.
“It’s like time slows down when stuff like that happens,” Offenburg said. “All I could think about was saving my buddy.”
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office responded using a SHERP — an amphibious, all-terrain rescue vehicle designed to operate on unstable ice and open water.
Deputies reached the men and brought them safely back to shore.
Sheriff Stephen Levorchick said while officials will not tell people to avoid ice fishing, Lake Erie conditions can change quickly and without warning.
Offenburg said the experience has convinced him his days of ice fishing are over. His four-wheeler was later recovered, and he was able to keep the fish from the trip.