An 82-year-old Bemidji man died tragically on Friday after his ATV plunged through the ice on Pike Bay. Cass County Sheriff's Office reports that the man was driving on the bay around 11:15 a.m. when the ice drifted beneath him. Fishing nearby, witnesses rushed to his aid, pulling him from the frigid waters and attempting life-saving measures until deputies took over. Despite swift action and further medical care at Cass Lake Indian Services Hospital, the man was pronounced dead, Bring Me The News reported.
The unnamed passenger who also took an icy plunge was treated at the scene without needing hospitalization. This fatality is the third ice-related death in Minnesota this winter, following deadly incidents on Big Toad Lake on December 23 and Lake of the Woods on December 28. CBS Minnesota notes a harrowing rescue last week on Upper Red Lake, where 122 people were stranded on an ice floe that had broken off, emphasizing the dangerous condition of the ice this season.
Following these events, Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk made a public statement warning against the unreliable state of ice cover. "Areas that had open water earlier in the week may just have a thin layer of ice on them now and are not safe enough for travel. It is extremely important to check ahead when traveling on the ice," he elaborated, as obtained by CBS Minnesota.
