(WWJ) A man, who was told not to go out on the ice near Mackinac Island, had to be rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The snowmobiler was reported lost on the ice about a mile off the west shore at 4:40 p.m. Sunday, according to Mackinac Island Fire Department Chief Jason St. Onge, who posted about the incident on social media.
Conditions were worse than a whiteout and the man was told (thru a translator over the phone) to stay put and that rescue was coming to him. It took firefighters almost 40 minutes to walk 2,000 feet due to conditions, according to St. Onge.
While firefighters starting walking toward the man in waist deep snow and jagged ice, the snowmobiler said he couldn't make it back to shore because he had run into open water.
The United States Coast Guard was called and at first said they could not reach the man, but the crew on the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw said they could see the man and were going to attempt to get him. The crew rescued the snowmobiler who was last reported in stable condition.
The crew also recovered the snowmobile.