A man drowned in Lake Wahnapitae Saturday night when his Kubota tractor broke through the ice.
The deceased was removed from the water Sunday afternoon with help from an OPP helicopter and dive team. The identity of the man is being withheld until next of kin can be notified.
According to Belinda Sutton, spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, the incident took place near Rocky's Lodge, a tourist destination on Lake Wahnapitae, around 7:15 pm Saturday night.
"A worker was returning a recently repaired piece of equipment, located on the lake, back to the lodge when it appears the machine broke through the ice," said Sutton.
"The worker was employed by Rocky's Lodge," she said. The Ministry of Labour is continuing its investigation.
Although the Greater Sudbury Police were originally investigating the drowning, GSPS Cst. Bert Lapalme said the investigation was passed to the Ontario Ministry of Labour since the incident is now classified as an industrial accident.
Lapalme said there is speculation that the man may hail from Atlantic Canada but is now a Sudbury resident, explaining the time needed to notify his family.
Greater Sudbury Police are now warning residents to use common sense around water and to ensure the ice is safe before venturing out. Conditions on certain lakes can change on a daily basis, especially on larger bodies of water such as Lake Wahnapitae.
People travelling on ice should avoid slushy areas, ice on or near moving water, ice that has thawed or refrozen, or ?rotten? ice caused by sudden temperature changes, say police. As well, ice conditions can weaken when snow lies on the ice acting as a blanket which prevents hardening or when pressure ridges are caused by wind, current or ice pressure.
