A woman died, and her husband is missing after they fell through the ice while walking their dog Feb. 14 at First Encounter Beach in Massachusetts, authorities said.
The Eastham Police and Fire Departments responded to an area at First Encounter Beach at 9 a.m. Feb. 14, the police department said in a press release. Police located the woman, who had fallen through the ice, about 30 feet from the shore. Two officers attempted to rescue the woman, but fell through the ice. They were able to return to the shore safely.
Staff from the Eastham Fire Department then entered the water in cold suits, but were unable to immediately locate the woman. Additional resources — including the Barnstable County Dive Team — were employed, and members of the dive team located the woman at 11 a.m., pronouncing her dead at the scene. (RELATED: ‘Very Significant And Dangerous’ Severe Storm To Potentially Spark Up Tornadoes, Flash Flooding In US Region)
An investigation determined the woman had been accompanied by her husband, and he also had likely fallen through the ice ahead of emergency services’ arrival, according to the release. Despite an extensive, multiple-hour search, the man was not located, and search efforts were terminated for the day. Search efforts resumed Feb. 15 at 7 a.m., police said in a subsequent release.
The male victim was still not located following the two-hour effort using a police drone and an on-foot search of the accessible shoreline. Additional search measures will be taken when “changes to the ice conditions occur,” police said. Police did not publicly identify the victims at the request of their family.
The couple’s dog was located on the beach before being reunited with extended family.
Local resident David Norris reacted to the incident, telling CBS News that the area where the couple had been walking is “dangerous.”
“It’s just dangerous,” Norris said. “I have two dogs. I won’t bring them out here until summertime when it’s just sand, they can go on the beach. I would never let them go on the salt. There’s no boundaries to it. It’s just weak, you fall right in.”
The woman was screaming for help when officers arrived on the scene, MassLive.com reported, citing police. The officers who fell through the ice while attempting to rescue the woman were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Daily Caller contacted the Eastham Police Department, who did not immediately comment on the incident.