Experts, province urge caution over ice conditions after man dies in Hanover

The province, along with outdoor enthusiasts, are urging people to use caution near frozen bodies of water after a man died when his skid steer loader fell through the ice.

According to RCMP, the tragic incident happened in the afternoon on Dec. 24. Mounties said the 58-year-old man was using the skid steer to clear snow off a man-made pond on a rural property in the RM of Hanover, when the machine fell through, sinking to the bottom.

“This pond is approximately 20- to 30-feet deep,” said Sgt. Paul Manaigre.

Manaigre said by the time emergency crews arrived, the man had already been underwater for several hours. He added that the local fire department didn’t have the resources to go into the water and recover the equipment or the man’s body.

The Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART) was called in to help.

“We deployed a diver and he was able to determine quite quickly that the cab was open, the window on the front was open, and there was no body in the cab,” said Paul Maendel, HEART’s dive team coordinator.

Using sonar technology, HEART was able to locate and recover the man’s body roughly 10 metres away from the machine.

While winter rescues aren’t rare, the RCMP said incidents involving heavy equipment are out of the ordinary.

“I can’t recall the last one of this nature,” Manaigre said.

As temperatures fluctuate, ice concerns rise. Lorne Edwards with Lifesaving Society Manitoba said one-third of all drownings in Manitoba happen during the colder months, from October to April.

“We have what’s called rotten ice,” Edwards said. “And rotten ice has frozen and thawed repeatedly, making it potentially fragile.”

A chart showing the recommended ice thickness for people and vehicles. (Source: Lifesaving Society Manitoba)

Before stepping on a frozen frontier, experts recommend checking ice thickness first. Anything three inches or less could land someone in cold water. It’s best to have at least four inches of ice for skating, five inches for snowmobiles, eight to 12 inches of ice for cars, and 12 to 15 inches for bigger trucks.

“Where (the 58-year-old man) broke through, I would venture to say it was about seven inches of ice, so definitely not enough for a skid steer loader,” Maendel said.

On Friday, the province issued a statement reminding anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to evaluate ice conditions before heading out.

“At this time of year, especially in southern Manitoba, ice is still forming and could be dangerously thin,” the statement reads.

It also emphasized the importance of wearing appropriate clothing for the weather and letting others know about their whereabouts in case of an emergency.

Lifesaving Society Manitoba recommends that people prepare for emergency situations with safety kits. That includes carrying gear such as ice picks and ropes, as well as wearing a life jacket or buoyancy suit when out on frozen bodies of water.

- With files from CTV's Kayla Rosen.