Overview
- A shore‑attached sheet near Balmy Beach fractured late Sunday morning, drifted about two kilometres into Georgian Bay, and broke apart, leaving anglers stranded.
- Two OPP helicopters conducted multiple trips, with support from marine units, firefighters, paramedics, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ornge, to bring everyone ashore by about 2:30 p.m.
- Authorities reported minor injuries, including hypothermia, and said all 23 people are expected to fully recover after triage at a Cobble Beach Golf Course staging area.
- Recent warmth and variable weather have made regional ice unpredictable, and the OPP urged residents to stay off, warning that no fish is worth a life.
- Rescued fishermen described fear as the ice split and drifted, with some calling family members before helicopters arrived.