Officials warn of thin ice on N.S. lakes, rivers following recent ice rescues

Warm weather is making for treacherous ice conditions in the Maritimes.

As temperatures warm up, officials in Nova Scotia are warning of thin ice on the region’s lakes and rivers.

“It’s very unsafe at this point,” says Paul d’Eon as he looks out over a rapidly melting Chocolate Lake in Halifax.

The special director of Nova Scotia Lifeguard Society, d’Eon says rescues are needed often around this time of year as temperatures warm and people think the ice is still safe.

“Well, there’s no such thing as safe ice right now with all the variables, temperature, wind, and melting. The ice is old, old ice is not safe ice,” he said.

Two men in their seventies went into the water Wednesday while ice fishing in Belleisle, N.S.

Several RCMP teams are involving in the search, including the Underwater Recovery Team.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Annapolis County Ground Search and Rescue, Digby Ground Search and Rescue, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), and Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources have also been involved in the search.

One body has been recovered, police say the search for the other man continues.

“We get some, every other year, we’ll get a drowning year or two,” d’Eon says.

The society’s standards show ice should be a minimum of 15 centimetres thick before someone can safely venture out. Double that amount for larger groups.

If you do fall through the ice, d’Eon says try to stay calm.

“What will happen is you’ll gasp, cold water immersion, and you’ll lose your breath, but if you calm yourself down, get to the edge of the ice and try and kick your feet and roll out of the hole.

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