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SYRACUSE -ÊA Syracuse man died after being pulled from the ice on the Main Channel between Wawasee and Syracuse lakes Tuesday morning.
Charles Miller, 83, of Syracuse, was pronounced dead at Kosciusko Community Hospital around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday from cardiac seizure due to hypothermia.
Miller was ice fishing on the channel Tuesday morning when he fell through the ice about 30 feet from the shore.
According to the Department of Natural Resources law enforcement office in Syracuse, conservation officers were notified around 11 a.m. Tuesday that a fisherman had fallen through the ice.
When rescue personnel arrived at the scene, they found Miller partially submerged in icy water.
A Syracuse firefighter attempted to rescue Miller but broke through the unsafe ice.
Wooden planks were then placed on the ice to support the weight of a conservation officer who made his way to the fisherman. In some spots, the ice was as thin as 2 inches.
As the conservation officer was pulling Miller's body from the water, the Syracuse Fire Department arrived in an airboat to help complete the rescue. Miller was taken to KCH.
People in the area told investigators they heard cries for help but were not able to locate Miller.
Conservation officers are warning fishermen that ice conditions in the area have deteriorated to treacherous levels. Fishing on thin ice puts the fishermen and rescuers in danger.
