Six snowmobilers barely saved on Lake Magog [PHOTOS]
Six snowmobilers can count themselves lucky to wake up Sunday morning, a few hours after having smashed the ice of Lake Magog. "We were ten minutes away from losing someone [...] There were six people in the water and we could easily have had six dead," considers agent Carl Pépin of the Régie de police de Magog, who participated in the intervention on Saturday evening.
Two snowmobilers were taken to hospital, one for severe hypothermia, the other for mild hypothermia. The event took place in the Bernard Street area.
Two snowmobilers were taken to hospital, one for severe hypothermia, the other for mild hypothermia. The event took place in the Bernard Street area.
Two snowmobilers were taken to hospital, one for severe hypothermia, the other for mild hypothermia. The event took place in the Bernard Street area.
"One of the snowmobilers was hung up for 25 or 30 minutes while the firefighters could rescue him," said agent Pépin in a telephone interview with La Tribune. Four snowmobilers were able to extricate themselves and did not require transportation to the hospital. "
The group of ten snowmobilers circulated on Lake Magog and headed for the mouth of the river. "They were warned not to go into this area, but the group leader left and the others followed," said the agent.
Not a first
Situations like this happen so frequently in this area that Sylvain Fontaine, a local resident for 20 years, has developed reflexes when he hears an engine on the lake in winter. “My wife and I were sitting in front of the television. Around 8:15 p.m., we heard snowmobile noises. Here in the industry, when I hear engine noises, it's not normal. We have the blinds and pick up the phone. While my wife was calling 911, she saw a few snowmobiles dive into white water, "said the trembling man, reporting at La Tribune at 11:00 p.m. Saturday evening.
"Other snowmobilers were fortunate enough to return quickly. Help arrived about ten minutes later, ”said Mr. Fontaine.
In two decades, Sylvain Fontaine has had to call for help a dozen times for similar situations. "Sometimes it was more tragic. Today, I hope that we will avoid having deaths. "
While there are many advantages to being near the shore, having to constantly call for help because snowmobilers venture into dangerous places is a big disadvantage for Mr. Fontaine. "We hate that. When that happens, you feel helpless. We can't go out and help the people ourselves, I already did and I stalled in the water, "he describes, always hoping in such situations that help arrives quickly.
Know the lake
According to Mr. Fontaine, snowmobilers should not show up on a lake without knowing its configuration. “There are places on the lake that are safe, but not here. I already went to look for people a decade ago on December 31, "he recalls, obviously still under adrenaline.
What most people do not know is that at this height of the lake, the ground is not very hollow. "What can save the world is that there are roughly five feet of water at this height in the lake. It’s a shoal. When you don't know, you're in a panic. The first reaction of humans when they sink is to think of their snowmobile. You lose a fraction of a second, ”analyzes the man who called the emergency room again on Saturday.
"It looks good, because a large part of the lake is completely frozen," sums up Jérôme Blais, a neighbor. But when you get to the mouth of the river, it's not frozen at all. When you go around in the evening or at night, you don’t see it and you fall into the water. If you are at the bottom of Bournival Street, there is no problem. But a few hundred meters higher is problematic. "
Remember that Réal Fréchette, 52, and his brother Denis, 59, died in March 2016 on Lake Magog. The young Samuel Brisebois suffered the same fate in 2014.
A group of 10 on Lake Magog. Six went through. Fortunately all got out.
Don’t go on Ice you don’t know, Simple no? apparently they were warned to avoid this area but in the dark they ended up in it anyway. Then swimming.
https://www.latribune.ca/actualites/six-motoneigistes-sauves-de-justesse-sur-le-lac-magog-photos-8171d2e8bbe7b31b881dfb11e4aa4a05?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
Six snowmobilers barely saved on Lake Magog [PHOTOS]
Six snowmobilers can count themselves lucky to wake up Sunday morning, a few hours after having smashed the ice of Lake Magog. "We were ten minutes away from losing someone [...] There were six people in the water and we could easily have had six dead," considers agent Carl Pépin of the Régie de police de Magog, who participated in the intervention on Saturday evening.
Two snowmobilers were taken to hospital, one for severe hypothermia, the other for mild hypothermia. The event took place in the Bernard Street area.
Two snowmobilers were taken to hospital, one for severe hypothermia, the other for mild hypothermia. The event took place in the Bernard Street area.
Two snowmobilers were taken to hospital, one for severe hypothermia, the other for mild hypothermia. The event took place in the Bernard Street area.
"One of the snowmobilers was hung up for 25 or 30 minutes while the firefighters could rescue him," said agent Pépin in a telephone interview with La Tribune. Four snowmobilers were able to extricate themselves and did not require transportation to the hospital. "
The group of ten snowmobilers circulated on Lake Magog and headed for the mouth of the river. "They were warned not to go into this area, but the group leader left and the others followed," said the agent.
Not a first
Situations like this happen so frequently in this area that Sylvain Fontaine, a local resident for 20 years, has developed reflexes when he hears an engine on the lake in winter. “My wife and I were sitting in front of the television. Around 8:15 p.m., we heard snowmobile noises. Here in the industry, when I hear engine noises, it's not normal. We have the blinds and pick up the phone. While my wife was calling 911, she saw a few snowmobiles dive into white water, "said the trembling man, reporting at La Tribune at 11:00 p.m. Saturday evening.
"Other snowmobilers were fortunate enough to return quickly. Help arrived about ten minutes later, ”said Mr. Fontaine.
In two decades, Sylvain Fontaine has had to call for help a dozen times for similar situations. "Sometimes it was more tragic. Today, I hope that we will avoid having deaths. "
While there are many advantages to being near the shore, having to constantly call for help because snowmobilers venture into dangerous places is a big disadvantage for Mr. Fontaine. "We hate that. When that happens, you feel helpless. We can't go out and help the people ourselves, I already did and I stalled in the water, "he describes, always hoping in such situations that help arrives quickly.
Know the lake
According to Mr. Fontaine, snowmobilers should not show up on a lake without knowing its configuration. “There are places on the lake that are safe, but not here. I already went to look for people a decade ago on December 31, "he recalls, obviously still under adrenaline.
What most people do not know is that at this height of the lake, the ground is not very hollow. "What can save the world is that there are roughly five feet of water at this height in the lake. It’s a shoal. When you don't know, you're in a panic. The first reaction of humans when they sink is to think of their snowmobile. You lose a fraction of a second, ”analyzes the man who called the emergency room again on Saturday.
"It looks good, because a large part of the lake is completely frozen," sums up Jérôme Blais, a neighbor. But when you get to the mouth of the river, it's not frozen at all. When you go around in the evening or at night, you don’t see it and you fall into the water. If you are at the bottom of Bournival Street, there is no problem. But a few hundred meters higher is problematic. "
Remember that Réal Fréchette, 52, and his brother Denis, 59, died in March 2016 on Lake Magog. The young Samuel Brisebois suffered the same fate in 2014.