Father, daughter safe after snowmobiles break through ice near Millinocket

Tue, 02/18/2020 - 12:15pm

    NORTH TWIN LAKE — A father and daughter from Manchester, Connecticut, were treated for mild hypothermia after their snowmobiles broke through ice Monday, Feb. 17.

    Brian Sutch, 53, and his daughter Falen, 16, were traveling northwest on North Twin Lake, near Baxter State Park, when they broke through thin ice shortly before 7 p.m. Both were operating their own machines when they quickly became submerged, according to the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, in a news release.

    The pair managed to get themselves out of the water and onto safe ice while wearing full riding gear and helmets. They were then able to call 911.

    A game warden and members of Millinocket Fire Department responded and located the subjects on the west side of the lake. The Sutch’s were taken by rescue sled to an awaiting ambulance and transported to Millinocket Regional Hospital. Both are recovering and have been released from the hospital, according to MDIFW.

    The Sutch’s snowmobiles, a 2015 Polaris 600 and a 2009 Ski-Doo 600, remain on the bottom of the lake in about 25 feet of water.

    Game wardens returned to the scene the next day to determine the exact location of the snowmobiles so that plans for removal can begin.

    Safety reminder: The Maine Department of inland Fisheries and Wildlife reminds snowmobilers to use extreme caution when riding on Maine lakes and ponds, especially at night. Even with the recent cold temperatures, several lakes and ponds continue to have thin ice and even open water near currents, dams, inlets and outlets.