Montana Snowmobilers Die Crossing Icy Lake

Two Montana snowmobilers died of drowning after falling into the ice while trying to cross Seeley Lake on Friday.

The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office says it first got a call from one of the party around 6:45 p.m. with reports the party of five sledders had got into trouble while crossing the ice near Seeley Lake Campground.

According to CBS station KPAX, one man was pulled from the water when his companion was able to crawl across the ice on his stomach, getting his friend to safety. That man was taken to the hospital in Missoula to be treated for hypothermia.

However, no one could locate the remaining two members of the party at water level.

Search and Rescue teams called for help from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, which was able to overfly the lake by helicopter.

Shortly after 10 p.m. MCSO reported the chopper had spotted the pair, allowing rescuers to recover their bodies, confirming they had died after falling through the ice.

The names of the victims were not released yet.