OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) – After a father and son from Sussex died on Sunday when their vehicle plunged through the ice on Lake Winnebago, authorities are urging the public to be very careful due to unpredictable conditions.
“I would express extreme caution when you’re venturing anywhere near these cracks because what might seem like solid ice may only be several inches thick,” said Lt. Steve Verwiel with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. “This winter with these ice plates moving about, it’s been a little bit different from other years.”
Verwiel says there are areas prior to this recent cold snap that were wide open and just recently frozen.
Officials warn that there are all types of ice: White ice that has air built up in it and can be dangerous, dark solid ice which is safest or honey-combed ice which can have water moving through it.
Verwiel recommends anglers or anyone planning to head out onto the ice do their homework first.
“Talk to local fishing clubs, and Lake-Link will have a tab for Lake Winnebago, Poygan, or wherever they’re going,” says Verwiel. “Because there are a lot of guys reporting ice conditions on the Lake-Link as well.”
Also, he adds the safest bet is to stick to the marked snow roads.
“Some of those snow roads are running parallel with the cracks, the way the cracks turned out, so you don’t want to venture off the snow road at all,” Verwiel said. “That’s what happened Sunday. They left the snow road, and they came upon a crack and before they could steer away from it, it was too late.”
On Monday, authorities identified 40-year-old Andrew Doro and his 8-year-old son Derek as the two who died at a hospital following their rescue from the lake. The two went into the water about 2 miles east of the Merritt Street boat landing in Oshkosh.
