Two dead after falling through ice in Kinosao Sipi, Pimicikamak

Two men died after they fell through ice in separate incidents this weekend.

Norway House RCMP, First Nations safety officers and emergency crews were sent to the Nelson River in Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation at 1:20 a.m. Saturday. They found a woman lying on her back on the ice, with her feet in the water.

She would not move, fearing the ice would again break underneath her, RCMP said in a news release Monday. An officer crawled out as far as he could until the ice began to crack underneath him.

A local firefighter donned a drysuit and tried to reach the woman but fell through the ice. He eventually reached the woman. People on shore threw a log into the water, and the pair grabbed it and were pulled to shore.

The 72-year-old woman was taken to hospital. She said she had been walking on the ice with another person who fell through, later identified as a 44-year-old man.

Searchers found the man’s body shortly after 7:15 p.m. Sunday.

Earlier Sunday, at 1:20 a.m., a First Nations safety officer told Cross Lake RCMP they had found a set of footprints on shore that led to ice and open water in Pimicikamak Cree Nation. Searchers found the body of a 47-year-old man.

“The RCMP would like to urge caution to those attempting to walk on or cross waterways that appear to be frozen,” police said. “Although we are already into the third week of November, the very mild fall temperatures experienced throughout the province has resulted in a very slow freeze.”

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca