BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) — The Brown County Sheriff's Office reports 27 people were rescued from the ice along the east shore of the Bay of Green Bay Saturday.
It happened off the shore of Point Comfort around 10:15 a.m. The Brown County Communications Center received a report that a large chunk of ice broke off from the shoreline and about 40 people were stranded.
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The Brown County Sheriff's Office, New Franken and Green Bay Fire, DNR and Coast Guard responded to the scene and rescued everyone by noon. No injuries were reported.
Sheriff's Office, New Franken and Green Bay Fire, DNR and Coast Guard are working an ice rescue of over 20 people stranded on an ice shove. The ice conditions along the east shore were weakened yesterday and recreational use of the ice along the east shore should be avoided!!! pic.twitter.com/PiV2t0dQIa
— Brown County Sheriff (@sheriffbc) January 8, 2022
By the end of the rescue, officials said the floating ice was about a mile from shore and floated three quarters of a mile during the rescue operation. Although the chunk of ice remained fairly stable, law enforcement said its condition was deteriorating rapidly, cracking up as it moved with the open water pounding at the edge of it.
“The 27 people who were rescued were on that piece of ice that broke away. And then they had huddled, kind of moved in closer together until the officers were in the environment and personnel were able to rescue them,” said Lt. John Bain, Brown County Sheriff's Office.
Officials said ice conditions along the east shore weakened Friday and advise people avoid recreational use of the ice along the east shore.
“We had received reports that a barge may have gone through earlier today and that disrupted the ice along with the natural occurring current and wind conditions that helped add or cause the breakup of the ice. We still don’t feel its safe and we still encourage people to be very cautious,” Bain said.
