Man Hospitalized After ATV Breaks Through Ice On Central Minnesota Lake

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Officials in central Minnesota say a man was flown to a hospital Thursday morning after the ATV he was riding broke through the ice on a frozen lake.

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says 49-year-old William Wurts, of Hanska, broke through the ice on Big Kandiyohi Lake shortly after 7 a.m.

First responders donned wetsuits and jumped into the frigid water to rescue him. Crews pulled Wurts to shore on a sled and a helicopter flew him to St. Cloud Hospital.

Wurts' condition is currently unknown.

Earlier this month, officials cautioned Minnesotans to be vigilant on lake ice during this time of year, when ice conditions are the most dangerous.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends that there be 5 to 7 inches of ice on a lake's surface before a vehicle, such a snowmobile, is driven on it.