Ice breaks under rescuers of man and dog in frigid Utah reservoir, video shows

A 66-year-old Utah man and his dog plummeted through ice and into a frozen reservoir Monday while ice fishing, police said.

The man had just started to get onto the ice when it broke beneath him, according to the Mantua Police Department.

“The victim was clipped into a sled, secured by webbing and carabiners, which immediately sunk, pulling the victim down,” Mantua Police Department said in a news release. “The victim was also accompanied by his dog, which he placed on his shoulders to keep safe.”

A witness saw the man and dog fall through the ice and immediately called 911. A Utah Highway Patrol trooper and Mantua Police Chief Michael Castro arrived on scene, according to police.

Officials threw a small flotation device to the man and were able to free him from the sled, but as they were working to hoist the man from the water, ice beneath Castro also broke, police said.

“The Utah Highway Patrol trooper held the rope for both individuals allowing Chief Castro to get out of the water and allow both officers to free the victim from the sled, get the dog back onto the ice, and secure the victim above the ice enough to prevent further complications,” police said.

They were able to hoist the man out of the water within about 20 minutes from when police were notified. The man was taken to a hospital and treated for hypothermia. The dog was taken to an animal shelter to be treated for hypothermia, according to police.

“Family members have been with the victim all day at the hospital, where he’s expected to make a full recovery,” police said.

This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Ice breaks under rescuers of man and dog in frigid Utah reservoir, video shows."