Two men pulled from Coon Lake after falling through ice

EAST BETHEL, Minn. (KMSP) - Two men went through the ice on Coon Lake in Anoka County on Sunday afternoon.

The two men that fell into the water after their boat flipped while they were trying to get a snowmobile that had gone through the ice from the lake, authorities said. Additionally, they pair had already fallen into Coon Lake an hour and a half earlier. Sheriff's deputies tell Fox 9 the two men were warned of the danger of going back on the icy water after they got themselves out the first time.

Around 4:48 p.m. Sunday afternoon, they went out on their boat to retrieve that snowmobile, and again fell in. Witnesses immediately called 911. When Anoka County sheriff's and East Bethel fire crews arrived they were able to see both men in the water. As they tried to reach the men, one went under.

“It took a long time to get them up and out to shore. It's a risk that's not worth taking clearly as was demonstrated here today, the ice is just not safe, there's a lot of open water. That season is over now.
It’s really tough, if people would just step back and think it probably wouldn't happen,” said Sgt. Eric Herschberger of the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

It took crews 10 minutes to rescue the first man, and 20 minutes to rescue the man who went under. One of the men was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital while the other was airlifted to HCMC. Their conditions are unknown at this time, but what Anoka county sheriff's deputies did tell Fox 9 is that both Hennepin and Chisago counties have responded to calls like this today.