Things got tense for more than 100 fishermen after they became trapped on floating ice. The anglers had to brave the frigid elements, the freezing cold, and the high wind.
The fishermen became trapped on Wednesday. I guess we finally found out what's worse than between a rock and a hard place, and that's being caught between ice and the ocean. According to Reuters, around 139 fishermen got stranded on some ice floe in the Sea of Okhotsk. For those that don't have a map in front of you, the Sea of Okhotsk is located between Russia and Japan.
The fishermen became trapped on floating ice in the region. It turns out that the ice began to crack while the anglers were out in the middle. The crack was fairly sizable too. It was 32 feet long and cause the ice to break off from the nearby island of Sakhalin. From there, the men were in for quite a ride. The ice chunk floated into the Sea of Okhotsk, taking the men along with it.
Fishermen Stranded
Initially, Russia's emergency services estimated that there were around 300 fishermen stranded. Hilariously, some of the men said they refused "to leave without a catch under any circumstances." Who knows if they caught a bite or two? However, other reports described the men on the floating ice as "extreme sports enthusiasts."
Rescue crews reached the men via helicopters. Footage showed several of the men helping to guide the helicopter to land as strong winds remained an issue on the floating ice. Rescue crews also used a Khivus hovercraft to assist in the search and rescue.
It sounds like some of those stubborn fishermen must have got their bite. Because rescue crews reported that they managed to save all 139 stranded fishermen from the floating ice and transport them to shore.
As it stands, rescue crews aren't sure why so many of the men gathered in one place. But it is a popular time for fishing in the country.
