One Illinois man is dead and another injured after they got into a snowmobiling accident near Lake Geneva in Wisconsin Sunday night, said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which is now warning both travelers and locals alike about the dangers of thin ice.
The two men, both in their 50s, were riding their snowmobiles on the frozen surface of Lake Geneva around 9 p.m. when they ventured off the ice and hit open water, according to NBC News. One of the men managed to notice before it was too late and jumped off his machine. However, the other man wasn't as lucky and fell into the frigid waters.
The man stranded on the ice called for help, which came soon afterward. He was rescued from the ice and taken to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia.
The other man died at the scene. A report from DNR Warden Juan Gomez revealed that it took about an hour for rescue crews to reach him because of all the open water in the center of the lake and they didn't want to put any emergency responders at risk until they could prepare, according to the Associated Press.
The two men remain unidentified, but officials revealed that the man who died was from Wheeling, and the man who survived was from Long Grove, according to CBS Chicago.
The DNR is now warning about thin ice on the lake due to this incident.
Lake Geneva has been thawing recently due to warmer weather in the area. Last week, Winterfest patrons witnessed 15 cars become partially submerged in the water after the icy surface was no longer able to handle the vehicles' weight and gave way.
