Rescuers save 675 ice fishermen from escaped ice floe
April 2, 2012
Ice fishing is extremely popular in Russia, but when the weather begins to warm up and the ice starts to melt, the sport can become extremely dangerous. The Associated Press reports that last weekend, 675 fishermen took to the ice for one final chance to drop their lines through the ice, but their boldness in the face of rising temperatures turned out to be a bit too brazen. The fishermen were trapped when the ice floe they were standing on broke free and began to drift out to sea.
Russian emergency services jumped to the rescue and were able to safely remove the fishermen from the free-floating ice island by boat and helicopter, according to ABC News.
"Of course the wind was blowing from the shore," Vladimir Vasilenko, one of the rescued fishermen, told a local TV news crew of his decision to brave the icy seas despite the warning signs, according to the AP. "We should have thought that something could happen, but people were going and we went as well. We also heard on the radio that it was the last chance for fishermen, and so we went fishing."
Those who want to find out more about this rescue story can make calls to Russia with calling cards to ask their friends for the latest updates.