A father and daughter from Connecticut made it to safety after their snowmobiles crashed through an ice-covered lake in northern Maine on Monday evening.
Brian Sutch, 53, and his 16-year-old daughter, Falen, of Manchester, Connecticut, were traveling northwest on North Twin Lake when their machines broke through thin ice around 7 p.m.
While their snowmobiles sank, the pair, wearing full riding gear and helmets, were able to crawl onto safe ice before they called 911 for help.
A game warden and members of the Millinocket Fire Department responded. The Sutches were taken by rescue sled to an ambulance and transported to Millinocket Regional Hospital where they were treated for mild hypothermia.
Both have recovered and were released from the hospital, Cpl. John MacDonald, spokesman for the Maine Warden Service, said in a news release issued Tuesday.
However, their snowmobiles, a 2015 Polaris 600 and a 2009 Ski-Doo 600, remain on the bottom of the lake in about 25 feet of water. Wardens plan to remove the snowmobiles once they have been located. North Twin Lake is located west of Millinocket, near Baxter State Park.
The warden service said snowmobilers should exercise caution, especially when riding after dark. Despite cold temperatures, several lakes and ponds still have thin ice.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.
-
Androscoggin County
Mechanic Falls town council approves amendments to land-use ordinances
-
News
More than 25,000 homes, businesses in Maine lose power in first snowstorm of season
-
Schools & Education
Lewiston School Committee reallocates funds for cameras, sensors in schools
-
Maine
Double mass shootings over weekend set grim U.S. record
-
College
Monday’s college roundup: UMaine’s Anne Simon wins another America East honor