Coast Guard icebreaker rescues snowmobiler stranded on ice during Michigan blizzard

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 55-year-old snowmobiler stranded on unstable ice near Mackinac Island, Michigan, on Sunday after he became lost in whiteout blizzard conditions, officials said.

The man was located roughly a mile west of Sunset Rock after authorities received a distress signal and coordinated a multi-agency effort involving local first responders and Coast Guard crews.

According to Mackinac Island Fire Department (MIFD) Chief Jason St. Onge, the individual had been warned earlier not to venture onto the ice on Lake Huron but attempted to cross anyway.

Rescuers said the conditions were treacherous, with deep drifting snow, jagged ice and extremely limited visibility that slowed efforts to reach the man.

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“The victim was advised if he could follow his GPS to start making his way toward the advancing firefighters. Unfortunately soon after the man advised he was moving, he had run into open water and could not go any further,” St. Onge said in a Facebook post.

A Coast Guard icebreaker, Cutter Mackinaw (WLBB-30), was diverted to the scene and ultimately spotted the man before deploying a rescue team onto the ice.

The man and his snowmobile were brought aboard the vessel, where he received medical care and was reported to be in stable condition.

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Video of the rescue shows the Cutter Mackinaw’s crane hoisting the snowmobile off a drifting piece of ice as the slab steadily shrinks beneath it before the vehicle is lifted safely onto the vessel.

“Today’s response was a phenomenal team effort in saving a person in distress,” said Lt. William Erekson, assistant operations officer aboard the Mackinaw. “All hands played a pivotal role, to include a challenging ice rescue deployment in harsh weather, seamless ship-wide execution, and superb coordination with Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes; this case is a powerful reminder that when lives are on the line, the Coast Guard stands ready to respond.”

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MIFD Chief St. Onge said it took firefighters almost 40 minutes to walk 2,000 feet back to shore due to the extreme conditions.

“The ice is no joke, not an inland lake or a mill pond, conditions can and do change by the minute,” he wrote on social media. “Not one entity endorses the ice nor is anyone in charge of its safety or security. Each and every trip is CROSS AT YOUR OWN RISK. In this particular case it was cross at the First Responders risk.”