CHAUTAUQUA, NY — February 14th —At around 8:51 p.m., the Chautauqua Fire Department responded to a report of a snowmobile breaking through the ice on Chautauqua Lake. The rider was able to swim through the river and reach a wooded peninsula, but they remained stranded in frigid temperatures after their phone stopped working.

To transport the man across the channel, firefighters used the MARSARS ice rescue sled and rope system while wearing cold-water rescue suits. Crews safely returned the cyclist to land without incident.

The rider reported being disoriented while traveling on the lake at night and aiming for a light near Snug Harbor Marina, inadvertently entering an area where water movement might weaken ice. Officials credited regular winter rescue training and coordination with mutual aid partners, including the North Lake Fire Department, for the successful outcome.