Chair found next to hole on frozen lake leads to ice fisherman’s body, Oregon cops say
An empty chair found next to a hole in the ice on a frozen lake led authorities to the body of an ice fisherman, Oregon sheriff’s officials reported.
Divers found the body of Mark Norenberg, 69, of Granite, Oregon, at Phillips Lake on Saturday, Jan. 27, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said in a Jan. 29 news release.
Someone reported finding a chair and hole in the ice on the reservoir on Jan. 25, sheriff’s officials said. They also found a parked vehicle with a dog hiding under it.
Searchers found some of Norenberg’s belongings in the water but could not find him, deputies said.
On Saturday, divers, searchers and Norenberg’s friends and family gathered at the reservoir to look for his body, the sheriff’s office said. They carved chunks of ice from the reservoir so divers could safely conduct a search.
Using boats, searchers found his body and divers recovered it, deputies said.
Phillips Lake is about 350 miles southeast of Portland.
What to do if you fall through ice
It’s never a guarantee that ice is safe to walk on.
You can’t judge the strength of ice by its appearance. Its strength also has to do with the water under the ice and the distribution of the load on the ice, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Even if every safety precaution is followed, sometimes the ice can begin to shatter. Here’s what to do if you find yourself plunging through ice:
Don’t take off your winter clothing. They’ll keep you warm and provide flotation.
Turn toward the direction you came.
Put your hands and arms on unbroken ice, and use available tools to try to pull yourself up.
Kick your feet and dig in.
Lie flat on the ice to keep your weight spread out. This will help prevent you from falling in again.
Get to a warm and dry place immediately.
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