The OPP are investigating 3 separate incidents involving snowmobiles where a total of 4 snowmobilers are missing and presumed drowned and a 5th snowmobiler was critically injured in a crash.
The first incident occurred sometime Friday afternoon or evening on February 8, 2008 in the Twilight Bay (Noelville) area of lake Nipissing in Northeastern Ontario when an 80 year old local man failed to return from an ice fishing excursion. The OPP helicopter while conducting an aerial search recovered a snowmobile helmet floating in the water believed to belong to the victim. The OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (USRU) is assisting in this investigation.
In the Huntsville area, sometime before midnight on February 8, 2008, three people on two separate snowmobiles left County Road 117 heading towards Baysville but failed to arrive. The OPP was notified of the missing snowmobilers at approximately 10:00 am this morning. Police located snowmobile tracks leading into open water in Lake of Bays and found floating clothing.
The OPP USRU is currently on site conducting a search.
Finally, the OPP are at the scene of an air ambulance crash on Snake Lake just north of Temagami in Northeastern Ontario. At approximately 9:00 pm on February 8, 2008 the Temiskaming Detachment of the OPP responded to a single snowmobile collision where a person had sustained serious head injuries.
The air ambulance was dispatched to transport the injured person to hospital when it crashed a short distance from the landing pad near Snake Lake. The four occupants of the helicopter, were injured and transported to the Temiskaming Hospital and where 2 remain in serious condition.
The OPP are reminding snowmobilers to exercise good judgment while out
riding;
- Check the trail and ice conditions before venturing out.
- Take it easy, return home safely, ride within the conditions of the
trail.
- Stay on marked trails.
- Stay off waterways and lakes if you do not know the ice conditions.
- When riding at night, slow down and don't drive beyond the distance
of your headlight.
- Alcohol and sledding don't mix.
- Always ride with care and control
More safety tips and information on trail conditions is available from the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) at www.ofsc.on.ca
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