DEVELOPING: Car Breaks Through the Ice in Grays Bay, Reports of Two Injured
Dive teams have rescued two passnegers in a car that went through near Grays Bay Causeway.
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Click here to read Lake Minnetonka Patch's latest update on this story.
UPDATE (4 p.m.): Eileen Baker, a resident on Grays Bay, said she was driving by the scene earlier this afternoon, on her way home from errands. Upon arrving home, she decided to head to the site by skiing.
Baker said the people inside the vehicle "still had not been rescued" and estimated the car had been under for "at least 45 minutes."
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UPDATE (3:47 p.m. Saturday) - Two medical helicopters have landed on the ice in Gray's Bay to transport potential victims.
No word on condition of those rescued from the car.
Scanner chatter indicated there were two people inside the vehicle, both pulled from the submerged vehicle.
Grays Bay Bridge, which connects north Minnetonka to southern Wayzata, has been closed indefinitely while first responders work on the scene.
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(3:30 p.m.) Another tragic breakthrough on Lake Minnetonka's fragile ice has claimed another vehicle, and two are reportedly being transported to hospitals.
Dive teams have pulled out at least one passenger from the vehicle, according to Patch contributor Police Clips, and via reports on South Hennepin County Dispatch.
Minnetonka Fire, Wayzata Fire, Hennepin County Water Patrol and divers were all on the scene.
Despite dangerously cold temperatures, the pressure ridges and low water levels near bridges have made causeways dangerous. Moving water is always an issue near bridges, and Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek advised people to avoid all causeways and bridges on Lake Minnetonka recently.
Tragedy struck the lake just three weeks ago when an 8-month-old infant, Tabitha Rose Markle, drowned in a breakthrough.
Patch will have more as this story develops.
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Erik
1:22 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
It's called Water Patrol not lake water sheriffs and they do a hell of a job, I feel sorry for the amount of stupidity they have to deal with.. People can't fix stupid. How about don't drive on a lake if you have no knowlege of lake ice or lakes. All of these accidents have happened in places where 99% of people that spend any amount of time on the ice know are places where a car should never be or go.. Under a bridge is about the dumbest thing you can do and if your not aware of that, you have no place on the ice.. If I see someone drive anywhere near a bridge, I assume they have a death wish.. Just be safe people, use your brain, think twice before going on the ice if you are unfamiliar with the lake, stay away from channels, bridges..
hwy12goph
1:47 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
You are right on Erik. Stay off the ice if you do not know what you are doing.
Privacy
10:59 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
I couldn't agree more with the Water Patrol doing a great job rescuing the small percentage that dont know better. I do however think we should not sentence the remaining low percent to death by not taking actions to prevent what is obvious to most of us. I am glad the news today (Feb 7th) reports the Water Patrol is placing larger red-orange fences to mark the thin ice channel areas better. Hope it will be enough. . .