Lively man's truck breaks through ice on Manitoulin

A 41-year-old Lively man's pickup truck broke through the ice while he was driving on Lake Wolsey on Manitoulin Island in the late afternoon of March 13.

About 400 metres from shore, the vehicle broke through the thin ice, and eventually sunk, a press release said.

The Manitoulin OPP said this was one of two incidents involving vehicles breaking through ice they dealt with on Sunday afternoon.

In the second incident, a snowmobile and the male driver went through the ice about 30 metres from the shore of McGregor Bay, north of Little Current.

A second snowmobiler broke through as he tried to assist. Both men got out of the water and went to a nearby cottage.

Medical assistance was not required in either incident.

The Ministry of the Environment has been notified.
With the mild temperatures on Manitoulin Island in the last two weeks, the OPP is urging people to stay off the ice.

Once the ice starts to melt, the thickness of the ice can vary greatly, and it becomes difficult to determine if the ice is safe, the press release said.

Ice that has formed over flowing water, springs, pressure cracks, old ice holes or around the mouths of rivers and streams may be weaker.

Ice can erode from the bottom up leaving you no obvious warning signs of weakness. Do not travel over ice-covered water in early and late winter when conditions are more dangerous, the OPP warn.