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Minnesota News
MPR News Staff

Crews work to rescue several dozen people stranded by shifting ice on Upper Red Lake

firefighters assist stranded fisherman
Kelliher Fire and Rescue was among the agencies who assisted with the rescue of about 30 stranded people amid shifting ice at Upper Red Lake on Sunday.
Kelliher Fire & Rescue

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Updated: 11:30 a.m.

Emergency crews worked Sunday evening to rescue about 35 people stranded by shifting ice on Upper Red Lake in northern Minnesota.

In an update Monday morning, Beltrami County officials reported that everyone was safely brought to shore by just after 8 p.m.

The initial call for help was received just before 5 p.m. Sunday, reporting several dozen people fishing on the lake had been stranded on a large section of ice that had detached from shore amid strong northwest winds.

Initial reports were that about 40 to 50 feet of open water separated the ice from shore.

“Beltrami County deputies and several other emergency responders arrived on scene and determined that due to the size of the separation an airboat would be needed to evacuate people from the ice,” Beltrami County officials reported in a news release Monday morning. “During the rescue, strong winds further blew the ice chunk and the separation grew to a couple hundred feet.”

There were no reports of injuries. The rescue effort involved the sheriff’s office; first responders from Kelliher, Blackduck and Bemidji; the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota State Patrol; and people from local resorts.

It’s not the first time that shifting ice has prompted rescues at Upper Red Lake. Just over a year ago, in November 2022, crews rescued more than 200 people after ice broke away from the lakeshore.

In the Monday news release, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office noted that “the unseasonably warm weather combined with recent rain have resulted in inconsistent ice conditions. At least four inches of clear, new ice is recommended for walking. Ice can never be considered 100 percent safe. If you become stranded on the ice, call for help. We would rather have trained responders assist than someone falling in the water.”

Find more ice safety guidelines on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ website.