Members of U.S. Coast Guard Station Sault Sainte Marie and Air Station Traverse City rescue a missing ice fisherman on Lake Superior Feb. 20, 2022.  Photo: U.S. Coast Guard

By Justine Lofton @mlive.com - February 21, 2022

A fisherman got lost in blowing snow on Lake Superior and then his snowmobile got stuck in heavy slush before rescuers found him overnight, officials said.

The man was found miles from shore around 2 a.m. Monday by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

The search began when the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an ice fisherman last seen in the early afternoon heading toward shore on his snowmobile. Blowing snow at the time made visibility very dangerous, police said.

The sheriff’s office deployed its hovercraft, snowmobiles and drone to search the area with the help of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Whitefish EMS. The Coast Guard joined the search with a helicopter and airboat.

Eventually, it was crewmembers aboard the helicopter that spotted the missing fisherman and his snowmobile. The sheriff’s office and DNR sent snowmobiles to the location while the Coast Guard sent its airboat.

Once back on shore, the fisherman was checked by EMS and released from the scene. He was “apparently in good spirits,” police said.

To see the original report and related stories, follow this link to the mlive.com website. https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/02/fisherman-lost-in-blowing-snow-rescued-from-lake-superior-overnig...