RANGELEY — Efforts to recover the bodies of three snowmobilers missing since last week remained on hold Wednesday as the Maine Warden Service continued to monitor ice conditions at Rangeley Lake, Cpl. John MacDonald said.

Glenn Henderson of Sabattus, Kenneth Henderson of China and John Spencer of Litchfield are believed to have snowmobiled into open water late on Dec. 30.

Fluctuating temperatures have made it unsafe for wardens to venture on to thin ice, and temperatures are expected to climb for the remainder of the week.

“If the lake opens up a large enough open water area near where we believe the snowmobiles are located, the Maine Warden Service will once again consider the possibility of using sonar and watercraft,” the department said in a news release Tuesday, and on Wednesday there was no change in the department’s position.

If the ice remains frozen, according to Warden Service officials, plans will be modified to include the possibility of using the department’s dive team and other pieces of equipment once the ice is thick enough to withstand the weight of that equipment.


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