January 25, 2023:
A woman who fell through thin ice into the freezing water of Mara lake late last Monday afternoon was soon joined in the water by 2 RCMP members attempting her rescue.
The incident began with a 911 call from the unidentified woman telling the call taker she had fallen through thin ice into the water of Mara Lake.
Attempting to pull the woman from the freezing water two responding officers shortly found themselves in the same situation.
The two officers attempted rescue using two methods that would seem to reduce their risk to an acceptable level but unfortunately, the ice was just too thin.
The first officer, using a rope, fell through the thin ice trying to reach the woman.
The second officer, using a fire department ladder to distribute weight, also fell through the ice.
Members of the Sicamous fire department succeeded where the others had failed having recently finished ice rescue training.
Swansea Point Fire, Sicamous Fire Department, and EHS Ambulance responded to the call.
All three suffered only minor effects from the cold and have since recovered.
The Sicamous Fire Department Posted this safety reminder on their Facebook page:
"Sicamous Fire Dept. and Swansea Point FD responded to an Ice Rescue last night on Mara Lake. Happily, all those that were involved are fine, but we urge Extreme Caution anytime you are near the ice. Ice along the shoreline can be thin and unsuitable for anyone to walk or skate on."