 RCMP members look over Wood Lake on Wednesday where a man fell through the ice. |
The divers travelled from several Interior communities to search beneath the ice of Wood Lake, where the cyclist had broken through. Minutes after they got in the water about 4:20 p.m., they found a body near the same spot about 13 metres below surface and 15 metres from shore.
The unidentified man had ridden his bike onto the thin ice of Wood Lake to make small talk with two ice anglers about 10 a.m. As he rode a few hundred metres away, he broke through the ice near the west shore of the lake, about 200 metres south of Ponderosa Road.
"The (anglers) heard kind of a crash as the bike snapped through the ice, and a bunch of screaming," said Assistant Fire Chief Brent Penner of Lake Country Fire and Rescue.
"When they got to a point where they could see, they saw something bobbing in the water . . . they didn't recognize it as a person."
A motorist on the highway pulled over and grabbed a rope. By the time he reached the shore, the man had disappeared.
One angler called 911, and firefighters specializing in ice rescues soon showed up in cover-all survival suits. One jumped into the hole with an axe and used the handle and his arms and legs to search for the missing cyclist.
When that failed, they drilled new holes and poked beneath the surface with 12-foot pike poles. They probed the water hoping to catch an object with hooks on the end but found nothing.
A police helicopter flew overhead briefly, looking for bubbles and dark shadows. Highway traffic was disrupted throughout the day.
The ice varied in thickness from 2.5 to four centimetres. Penner believes the narrow tires of the bicycle concentrated the man's weight.
"On a bike, it's like a pizza cutter. The contact point is a lot thinner where the rubber of the tires meets the ice," he said. "With two big feet, your weight is dissipated."
People who fall into icy water often inhale instantly from the shock, Penner said. If they breathe in water, it closes their airways and they can drown quickly.
The firefighters heard cracking as they walked on the ice. They spent most of their time lying on their bellies, probing the water with their poles.
The rescuers spent 85 minutes on the ice. An emergency doctor advised the victim had likely drowned. Firefighters turned over the recovery to the RCMP.
Police were trying to identify the man, who appeared to be about 40, late Wednesday. Investigators hoped to identify his family.
The tragedy underscores how dangerous it is to tread on thin ice, said Penner.
"I wouldn't be out on the lake in any way, shape or form," he said. "You want to inspect your ice . . . One and a half inches is not sufficient."
Police advise to stay off ice less than 10 cm thick and never drive on ice less than 30 cm thick.
"When in doubt, don't do it. A cold water suit and safety vest are highly recommended," said Const. Kris Clark.
