Police stress ice safety after snowmobile goes through the ice in northern Ont.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding the public to be cautious after a snow machine went through thin ice near the North Bay marina on Friday.

No one was injured when the snowmobile fell into 10 feet of water and the driver had returned home prior to contacting police.

On Feb. 16 shortly after 8 p.m., the North Bay OPP detachment received a report from a snowmobiler that while returning from fishing on Lake Nipissing their snow machine went through the ice and was submerged in the water.

This comes after a CTVNorthernOntario.ca journalist observed a pickup truck falling falling through Lake Nipissing earlier this month.

“North Bay OPP is reminding the public that the message is always the same. No ice is safe ice,” said police in a news release Sunday.

“We encourage everyone who is venturing out onto the area lakes to exercise caution.”

Police said ice conditions are greatly affected by weather, as well as other factors including:

• Type of water,
• time of year,
• water depth and size of the body of water,
• currents, tides, and other moving water,
• logs, rocks, and shoals absorbing heat from the sun
• and changing air temperature

“Ice does not freeze at uniform thickness throughout the body of water,” said police.

“When ice forms early and may look safe, it is likely not thick, strong, or stable enough to support much weight. Thickness should be checked regularly as you move further onto the ice.”

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OPP said anyone considering venturing out on ice-covered bodies of water for recreational activities should do so with an experienced outdoor enthusiast who is familiar with local conditions and water currents and children should not play near or on ice unless properly supervised.