Boaters in PEC rescued by helicopter near Wellington Beach
Boaters enjoying the unseasonably warm weather on Sunday were unexpectedly blocked from returning to shore by moving ice and high winds near Wellington Beach in Prince Edward County.
Members from The Prince Edward County Detachment Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton (JRCC) and Hastings-Quinte Paramedics responded to the call on Sunday, Mar. 6, 2022, that identified that two people in a boat were stranded approximately one kilometer off shore at Wellington Beach.
According to a release from the OPP, the boaters had left the shoreline in open water then later were trapped by the moving ice and high winds. The high winds impeded the fire department rescue boat from reaching the boaters, OPP said. JRCC conducted a successful hoist rescue for the boaters, and no injuries were reported.
The OPP would like to remind everyone the ice is constantly changing in response to weather and water conditions and is affected by many different factors including thickness, currents, age of the ice, pressure cracks and snow cover.
“While the water may look tempting for fishing or other activities, PLEASE make the safe decision to STAY AWAY. The recent temperatures have been erratic. Don’t put your own life, and the lives of first responders at risk,” OPP said
For further information on ice safety from the Lifesaving Society, visit: http://www.lifesaving.ca/main.php?lang=english&cat=watersafety&sub=ice