KINDERHOOK TOWNSHIP, MI (WTVB) – Two fishermen had to be rescued from Kinderhook Township’s Silver Lake in southern Branch County Sunday afternoon after they fell through the ice.
The Branch County Sheriff’s Department says their Dive Team, Lakeland firefighters and Life Care Ambulance were dispatched to Pine Island Drive at about 3:45 p.m..
When deputies arrived, they found William Lewis of Hillsdale and Shawn Cronkhite of Coldwater standing in about five feet of water hanging onto their ice fishing sled.
Undersheriff Keith Eichler says the two fisherman were in the middle of lake. When they changed positions they both fell through the ice about 200 yards off shore.
Fortunately for them, the water depth was only five feet deep but they were in extremely cold water for about 20 to 25 minutes.
The Lakeland Fire Department rescue truck deployed their ice sled. Wearing water tight suits, the firefighters went into the waist deep water and had to break through the ice to eventually get to Lewis and Cronkhite.
Safety lines and flotation wraps were attached to the two fisherman and they were pulled to shore.
Both were treated by Life Care paramedics for hypothermia. Eichler reports they were completely exhausted with no energy to save themselves when they were rescued by Lakeland firefighters.
