A routine ice fishing outing on Georgian Bay turned perilous when a massive ice shelf detached from the shore, stranding 23 anglers in a sudden crisis.

The Sudden Break

Kevin Fox, one of the fishermen involved, described entering the ice around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday with his friend Alfie. They ventured about four to five kilometers offshore, drilled a hole, and prepared to fish. Within minutes, Fox spotted the ice cracking open.

“I yelled to Alfie that the ice was opening,” Fox recounted. “He started calling out, and we notified all the nearby anglers. After that, it was a frantic run.”

Approximately 50 people were on the ice that morning. When the shelf separated, 23 ended up on the drifting section, unable to see the shore’s edge due to its vast size—spanning multiple kilometers. Anglers communicated by shouting and cellphones to alert those farther out, urging everyone to pack gear and seek an escape route.

Rescue Operation

Despite warmer-than-usual temperatures in nearby areas, the ice had seemed stable enough for fishing. However, emergency responders mobilized quickly. Aviation and marine units from the Ontario Provincial Police, along with local fire departments, answered distress calls.

Fox captured video of a helicopter hoisting him to safety and noted wind speeds of 60 to 80 km/h during the operation. By mid-afternoon Sunday, all 23 individuals were airlifted to shore with only minor injuries, primarily hypothermia. The ice floe fragmented further during the drift, partially submerging some in frigid water.

Equipment Losses and Lessons Learned

Fishermen abandoned heavy gear to flee, including augers, drills, and other tools worth tens of thousands of dollars. Fox alone lost several thousand dollars in equipment. “Every fisherman out there paid a price,” he said. “As soon as they stepped off that ice, every single person left something behind.”

Though shaken, Fox intends to resume ice fishing this weekend but plans to avoid Georgian Bay shores for the foreseeable future.