Ontario Provincial Police rescued 23 people after an ice shelf broke off the shore in Georgian Bay, leaving several groups partially submerged and adrift. Sunday afternoon ET, the swift airlift response — which ended with minor injuries including hypothermia — highlighted the dangers of unstable ice on the bay.
Ontario OPP Returns 23 People to Shore
Ontario police say 23 people needed rescue when an ice shelf in Georgian Bay split and drifted about two kilometres, breaking into several sections. Multiple people were reported partially submerged in icy water before emergency crews reached them, and by mid-afternoon everyone had been airlifted back to shore with minor injuries.
Grey-Bruce OPP Aviation and Marine Units Respond
Members from the Grey-Bruce detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police deployed aviation and marine units to the scene, coordinating with regional fire departments from counties around the Georgian Triangle. The combined response moved quickly enough to prevent more serious injuries among the people involved, police say.
Cobble Beach Golf Course Serves as Triage Site
Cobble Beach Golf Course opened its facility to allow aviation units to land and provide triage space for responders. Emergency crews treated multiple people for minor hypothermia on-site before transporting them to further care, and local fire departments assisted with patient handling and shore-based support.
That afternoon, officials described the ice as having drifted roughly two kilometres from shore after the shelf split into several sections, complicating rescue operations and creating multiple isolated pockets where people were stranded. The coordinated use of aviation, marine assets and municipal facilities enabled crews to reach and evacuate all individuals without reported major injuries.
No further rescue operations were announced; police said the airlifts concluded by mid-afternoon ET.
