Tragedy struck on a Grand Blanc Township pond this week when two men, engaged in the winter pastime of ice fishing, found themselves victims of the unpredictable Michigan ice. Reports from CBS Detroit state that emergency crews responded to a 911 call on Monday afternoon after two men, ages 84 and 81, broke through the ice. The incident occurred in the 6200 block of Canter Creek Trail, with one man falling into the water and the other succumbing to the frigid depths while trying to save his companion.
Upon arrival at 2:23 p.m., the fire department, having been notified by several distress calls, witnessed the Grand Blanc Township Police Department already aiding one of the men out of the ice. Sadly, the other man, aged 84, remained submerged in approximately 8 to 10 feet of water about 60 feet from shore, according to WNEM. The man was under the ice, crews rushed to pull him from the water in less than 15 minutes after reaching the scene.
An update came in South Africa the following day; Sergeant Tim Bueche with the Grand Blanc Township Police Department confirmed to WNEM that the 84-year-old man had tragically passed away. The other man, at 81, is expected to recover. The crews' prompt response, arriving within eight minutes, was crucial in the rescue efforts. Both victims were transported to Henry Ford Health Genesys Hospital for treatment, but no follow-up medical report has been released.
The Grand Blanc Township Fire Department took to Facebook to share details about the rescue operation. They described the diligence of firefighters who entered the water to locate the submerged man and the coordinated effort with shore crews to extract him swiftly. Despite a relatively warm day with temperatures reported around 60 degrees, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the hazards that accompany ice fishing, particularly as spring temperatures begin to fluctuate.
