Snowmobiler goes through ice, saved by man in a canoe
COOK, Minn. (KMSP) - A Greenwood Township resident saved a 70-year-old man whose snowmobile crashed through the ice on Saturday, using only his canoe and a rope, according to authorities.
St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office received a call Saturday afternoon after a nearby resident saw Ronald Hautala’s snowmobile go through the ice in the Oak Narrows of Lake Vermillion.
This is the second vehicle to go through the ice on Lake Vermillion this week.
The rescuer used his canoe and a rescue rope to pull Hautala out of the water. After getting back to shore, Hautala was transported to the Cook Hospital.
According to a statement by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s office, Hautala suffered non-life threatening injuries.
In the same statement, the sheriff’s office urged “outdoor enthusiasts” to pay attention to “thin ice” signs and remember how dangerous ice conditions can be at any point during the winter.