The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton says it was called in to help rescue two people trapped on an ice floe near Tobermory Sunday.
JRCC Trenton is a rescue coordination centre operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Coast Guard.
The JRCC says on Twitter, a Hercules aircraft crew located the individuals and an OPP helicopter evacuated them from the ice floe.
Grey Bruce OPP say the pair of hikers had been walking on the ice near the park, when a large piece of ice broke away from the shoreline, leaving the hikers stranded and drifting out onto Georgian Bay.
Police say the hikers drifted almost three kilometres from shore when the OPP helicopter was able to hover above them and make an ice rescue, returning both people safely to shore. OPP say there were no injuries.
Grey Bruce OPP Acting Inspector Debra Anderson praised the efforts of all of the involved emergency personnel in a statement, saying, “This was amazing team work by all of the involved services. Everyone worked together to safely rescue these hikers. This situation could have ended in tragedy”.
Grey Bruce OPP are reminding hikers, snowmobile operators, all-terrain vehicle operators and fisherman that travelling on ice, especially on open bodies of water, is extremely dangerous. Police say, “Please make sure that you check the weather conditions, the ice thickness, always dress for the weather, have a safety plan and travel with a partner. The temperatures have really been fluctuating this winter, so use extreme caution when travelling and avoid unnecessary risks on the ice and near shorelines.”
#GreyBruceOPP and an OPP helicopter made a daring ice rescue at Bruce Peninsula National Park near Tobermory. 2 hikers were walking on the ice, near the park, when a large ice flow broke away leaving them stranded on Georgian Bay, 3 km from shore. There were no injuries. ^rs pic.twitter.com/IMAwDDzZL9
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) February 22, 2021
On 21 Feb, @OPP_ER requested JRCC Trenton support to rescue two individuals on ice floe that broke away on Georgian Bay near East Tobermory. @RCAF_ARC 424 Sqn SAR CC130 and CH146 and OPP helicopter were launched. Hercules crew located individuals and OPP helo evacuated to safety pic.twitter.com/6XglE39S7i
— Trenton JRCC CCCOS (@JRCCTrentCCCOS) February 22, 2021
Two hikers near Tobermory had to be rescued from an ice floe, which sheared away from shore yesterday. OPP West Region wish to thank @JRCCTrentCCCOS and our local partners in Grey Bruce for their help in this operation. Some video courtesy the JRCC. ^dr pic.twitter.com/7BvYEgdRDe
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) February 22, 2021
