TOWN OF LITTLE RIVER, Wis.–– Tom Drez said his Sunday evening was much more eventful than he expected.
He runs Bayside Ice & Marine Recovery in Suamico, just outside of Green Bay. He said he got a call Sunday evening from a fishermen who was stranded on the ice off the shore of the Town of Little River on the shore of the Bay of Green Bay.
The Little River Fire Chief Jonathon Ladwig said in a release that man was one of eight out on the ice when the crack holding it together with ice connected to the shore broke apart. The group drifted as the ice was blown away by the wind.
“By the time we got out there the second time, it was about 1.5 miles from shore,” Drez said. “Imagine what this would have did another hour later.”
Chief Ladwig said the incident could have been worse than it was.
“At this point, we need to stay off the ice,” he said. “Fortunately, someone on the ice had a strobe light and that’s the only way after it became dark that we could see them from shore.”
Ladwig said all the fishermen were rescued, one by first responders, and seven by Drez. He said no one was injured.
Chief Ladwig added that no ice in the region is safe this far into spring. He encourages everyone to stay off the ice no matter how safe it might look.
