2 men survive when snowmobile goes through ice in Dexter

By Julie Harris, Bangor Daily News Staff

No one heard them yelling for help, but two men survived Tuesday when their snowmobile broke through the ice on Wassookeag Lake in Dexter.

The father, who was in his mid-50s, and his son, who was in his early 20s, entered the lake at the boat ramp and were heading across the middle to go ice fishing when their snowmobile suddenly went through the ice around 11:30 a.m., according to Mark Latti, spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Ice conditions on Maine’s lakes and ponds have been a little dicey in places, especially after the warm spell, followed by winds. Even though the temperatures have been low enough to freeze lakes and ponds, the wind prevents the larger lakes from setting up with ice, he said.

He also pointed out that it’s still quite early in the season, so extra caution is needed.

That area of the lake had been open just a couple of days before and had just started to skim over. It was covered with snow so the men could not see that it wasn’t safe, Latti said. Some people who know the area indicated that the lake gets up to 60 feet deep where the men crashed. 

Although Latti could not confirm the depth of water the men fell into, he said it definitely was well over their heads. 

The father and son, who live in central Maine and whose names were not available Tuesday afternoon, were in the water for about 10 minutes. They yelled for help but no one heard them, so the son managed to give his father enough of a boost to help him get onto the ice.

The father rolled away from the hole and grabbed their pack basket filled with ice fishing traps and gear. He rolled back toward the hole, offering his son the pack basket. His son grabbed it and the two men were able to get him out of the water too, Latti said.

The son had no boots or coat on by the time he got out of the water. He walked with his father in his stocking feet across the pond to an ice fishing shack with a lone fisherman in it. There they summoned help and warmed up.

Warden Isaiah Dyer talked with the men about what happened, and the EMTs from the local ambulance service checked them out.

He encouraged people to know where they are going and to check ice depths as they go. People going out on the ice also should wear ice picks around their necks and a float coat or life jacket, he said.