Authorities rescued 34 people from a floating chunk of ice that broke away from shore in the bay of Green Bay in eastern Wisconsin, the sheriff's office said Sunday.

No injuries were reported in the incident that happened Saturday morning north of Green Bay, in the arm that's part of Lake Michigan, the Brown County Sheriff's Office reported. Many of the 34 people rescued were ice fishing at the time of the incident.

The chunk of ice floated about three-quarters of a mile during the rescue and was about a mile from the shoreline by the time everyone was brought to solid ground. Authorities said the stranded people were on the separated ice shove for about 90 minutes.

Brown County Sheriff, @sheriffbc/Twitter

A barge traveling through the bay may have caused the ice chunk to break off the shoreline, the sheriff's office said. Shane Nelson, who was making his first ice fishing excursion, said the noise sounded like somebody had fired a gun.

“We thought it was interesting, got out of our shanty, took a look and people were yelling on the ice, ‘We’re separating,’" Nelson told WLUK-TV.

Airboats from the Brown County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Coast Guard were able to rescue eight passengers at a time.

Note: The total number of rescued individuals was updated on January 11, 2022, from 27 to 34 based on the latest information from the Brown County Sheriff's Office.

Share:
More In Culture
Queen Elizabeth marks 70 Years on the Throne
Queen Elizabeth is celebrating 70 years on the British throne this weekend. The Platinum Jubilee kicks off Thursday. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Cheddar's Shannon LaNiere takes a look back at her remarkable reign.
Hottest Toys To Chill With Your Kids This Summer
After two years of the pandemic kids are ready to enjoy the outdoors again with their favorite toys. Cheddar News speaks with Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer at Toy Insider on how to entertain your kids with the latest, and greatest gadgets.
Uvalde School Police Chief Says He's Still Cooperating
The school district police chief who served as on-site commander during last week’s deadly shooting in Uvalde, Texas, says he’s talking daily with investigators, contradicting claims from state law enforcement that he has stopped cooperating.
Raising Awareness For Foster Children This National Foster Care Month
Thousands of foster children throughout the country are constantly put at risk, with many of them constantly exposed to threats such as homelessness and sex trafficking. With May being National Foster Care month, Cheddar News was joined by Angela Featherstone, CEO and President of the Foster Care Healing School to discuss how the school works on helping foster children and how you can help a foster child today.
Summer Travel Hacks As Inflation Heats Up
It's the unofficial start of summer, and after two years of COVID, Americans are ready to travel again. So how can you beat the crowds and keep your family safe? Cheddar's Shannon Lanier has some hacks that can help you make the most of your summer vacation with minimum hassle.
Load More