Search for Ice fisherman at Ontelaunee

[Igloolou]

http://wfmz.com/view/?id=221868&t=english_developing_story


It says his car was in the area. I hope he met up with someone and they decided to head north to fish and just left his car there. Or that his car broke down. 

[scavengerj]

What a shame 

[ranger22]

they are reporting his gear was by an open hole in the ice. not good at all

[Dizzy]

they are reporting his gear was by an open hole in the ice. not good at all

I'm hoping for the best... but fear for the worst. 

I just checked that link... a body has not been recovered yet and they are reporting that the weather conditions are hampering search efforts.

[Icenutter]

It's a damn shame.    Unless you knew how the warm up affected the ice conditions before the snow came no one would have a clue that they could be on 6 inches and then step onto skim ice.

I hope for the best and prayers go out to the family.

[gair-z]

found..

http://wfmz.com/view/?id=222132

[scavengerj]

A fish ain't worth it guys. Be careful out there this week and weekend. With this flakey weather who knows what the ice is really like at any time on any lake in our area.

[Bean]

That's very sad and my condolences to his family and friends.

I try my best to be prepared just in the case I ever were to go in by wearing my Arctic Armor suit which will float me, always wearing ice picks around my neck, and just got a spud bar to check for thin ice.  I usually go fishing with someone else and I also have spare clothes in my vehicle.

Please be careful out there folks!!!

[tipup71]

My condolences and prayers go to his family. Seems every year we hear of a fellow ice fisherman who has lost his life. PLEASE be careful this weekend.   Rob

[Fishbreath]

Divers recovered a body from Lake Ontelaunee in Berks County at 1:50 p.m. today. The divers had been searching for an ice fisherman who was reported missing by his wife early this morning.

[Ski Hunter]

My condolences go out to his family.

I'll put money on it probably being an old timer. Seems 9 out of every 10 times we read about this out by this part of the state its an older guy

[ranger22]

this is terrible  i pray for his wife and family. my wife after seeing the
arctic armor suit on the site went and ordered it for me. it seems expensive
but our lives are worth more than $300

[nepa old man]

My condolences go out to his family.

I'll put money on it probably being an old timer. Seems 9 out of every 10 times we read about this out by this part of the state its an older guy

Very Sad, he was 70 yrs. old and I take it buy himself. Prayers to the family.

[Igloolou]

Authorities have confirmed that the body found by searchers in Lake Ontelaunee in Maidencreek Township, Berks County this afternoon is that of an ice fisherman reported missing by his wife early this morning. He's identified as 70-year-old William Kean of Gap, Lancaster County. WFMZ's Joel D. Smith reports on the search.
   THIS PART OF THE STORY WAS FILED BEFORE THE BODY WAS RECOVERED: The area of Lake Ontelaunee is also called Peter's Creek. It's a popular spot for ice fishing. The missing man apparently went there often, but didn't come home last night. "From my understanding, the wife called about 1:30 AM," said Chief Daniel Miller, Blandon Fire Company. "At that time, we were called to come out and search the woods for him. And we did that. And approximately 2:30 we found the fishing gear on the ice." >> Reporter: That began the slow process of getting rescue crews geared up to make a search of that area in the middle of frozen Peter's Creek. While those on the shore held a rope, the two-person crew jabbed at the ice with paddles and eventually reached the fishing gear they saw from the shore. Officials say it does belong to the missing man, but they haven't found him. Just a pair of gloves in the water. Any further searching will require looking under water. "Right now, we're going to regroup... and warm up and then we're going to send some divers in to look for the victim." said Miller.



My prayers go out to his wife, family and friends.

I just want to add, that Bill was a regular fixture on the ice at Peters for more than two decades. 

[capt.crappie]

 Can't say that i remember bill by his name. But i do think i knew him from the times i spent at petes. my heart goes out to his wife & family god bless you william keane

[HenryDavid]

Sad story, my biggest fear, falling through at night, only hope might be the lantern light to find
your way back up and out, unless the snow cover blocked the light, scary.

Anyone know how deep this was, and this was a "creek" ?

[Igloolou]

Sad story, my biggest fear, falling through at night, only hope might be the lantern light to find
your way back up and out, unless the snow cover blocked the light, scary.

Anyone know how deep this was, and this was a "creek" ?

They said on the news 8' of water.  This is a part of the lake that is fed by peters creek, hence the name of this part of the lake.

[ralwag]

My condolences go to his wife and family 

[HenryDavid]

             "They said on the news 8' of water"

Just goes to show you, it doesn't have to be that deep for something like this to happen.

[Dizzy]

Such a sad, sad situation. What a terrifying way to pass... my heart goes out to his family and friends.

[stormtrooper]

I hope this doesn't turn into a lawsuit like when that moron that got his family killed in that canoe accident on the Schukyll river,then sued the state for 1.2 million.Lawsuits and search and rescue cost money.The next thing you know our icefishing "privileges" on this lake will be in jeopardy.It seems to me that the state legislature finds it easier to make laws to protect us from ourselves, by removing our decision making ablity.I served 4 yrs. active duty, and in most places in Pa. I can't even drink a beer while i'm fishing. I've been to other states and they'll sell you a thirty pack at the ramp. I don't get it. 

[ranger22]

I hope this doesn't turn into a lawsuit like when that moron that got his family killed in that canoe accident on the Schukyll river,then sued the state for 1.2 million.Lawsuits and search and rescue cost money.The next thing you know our icefishing "privileges" on this lake will be in jeopardy.It seems to me that the state legislature finds it easier to make laws to protect us from ourselves, by removing our decision making ablity.I served 4 yrs. active duty, and in most places in Pa. I can't even drink a beer while i'm fishing. I've been to other states and they'll sell you a thirty pack at the ramp. I don't get it. 

someone died and your worried about being able to fish the lake again.

[Ski Hunter]

someone died and your worried about being able to fish the lake again.

It is a tradgedy that he died and it could have most likely been prevented...but trooper does bring up a good point...since one person made a bad desicion and paid with his life, everyone could potentially loose access....is it fair? no....but its possible

We live in a world where everyone wants to point blame at others rather than take responsibility for anything and that combined with most of America being sue happy makes for a very bad combo...a widow hires a good lawyer to sue for the state not posting the ice was unsafe and wins, do you think they'll let you ice fish it anymore? I highly doubt it cuz they know if someone sued them once and won then it will happen again

[g3]

i hope none of his family read this,especially the part about being worried about fishing there again.a man lost his life!

[Fishbreath]

They said on the news 8' of water.  This is a part of the lake that is fed by peters creek, hence the name of this part of the lake.

Even if it 4ft. of water and your alone an physically unable to get back on top hypothermia will kill you.

[jig-jig THUMP]

Use this event to doubley remind us to fish with others, carry throw ropes, and wear those ice picks.  This time of year on the ice carries risks and we all need to take steps to avert them as much as possible if we want to see the next day.

Sympathies to the family.

jjT

[stormtrooper]

Thanks for backing me up ski hunter. In a conversation w/ one of my liberal friends about the tragedy, he had the audacity to say something as ignorant as "well nobody should have been allowed to icefish around here(berks county) at all this year". He doesn't even icefish. This kind of ignorance is why "they" are trying to stop innocent Americans w/ no criminal record from buying more than one gun a month. ANY GUN! When I was a kid, It wasn't a LAW to wear a helmet when I rode my bike, But it is now! Seatbelt laws! Do I need to go on? One guy kidnaps a bus full of kids, and now every bus has a lite beacon on top of it now! There is a town in California(ahole of the country) where it is ILLEGAL to smoke a cigarette anywhere outside! People doing studies on how kids backpacks are too heavy and causing back pain.This is insane. Schools today look like colleges. I didn't have air conditioning in high school, and I don't think it hampered my education one bit. School taxes go up, but are children any more intelligent. I don't think so! My question is this. How may icefishing deaths would it take to start a class action lawsuit?

[Byron/PA]

Thanks for backing me up ski hunter. In a conversation w/ one of my liberal friends about the tragedy, he had the audacity to say something as ignorant as "well nobody should have been allowed to icefish around here(berks county) at all this year". He doesn't even icefish. This kind of ignorance is why "they" are trying to stop innocent Americans w/ no criminal record from buying more than one gun a month. ANY GUN! When I was a kid, It wasn't a LAW to wear a helmet when I rode my bike, But it is now! Seatbelt laws! Do I need to go on? One guy kidnaps a bus full of kids, and now every bus has a lite beacon on top of it now! There is a town in California(ahole of the country) where it is ILLEGAL to smoke a cigarette anywhere outside! People doing studies on how kids backpacks are too heavy and causing back pain.This is insane. Schools today look like colleges. I didn't have air conditioning in high school, and I don't think it hampered my education one bit. School taxes go up, but are children any more intelligent. I don't think so! My question is this. How may icefishing deaths would it take to start a class action lawsuit?

Half way through your rant, you asked

Do I need to go on?

The answer was NO

As another one of your liberal friends, let me say that you are way over paranoid. And this thread is not about your paranoid ultra Conservative views, or about my liberal views. It's about a fellow ice fishing brother who lost his life. 
My deepest condolances and prayers to his family, very sad indeed. And yes, a reminder to all of us to always proceed with the utmost caution.

[HenryDavid]

Don't know if this is a State fish commision lake, but most of them have some sort of posting, including "at your own risk", I'm sure there's been swimming deaths in the past in many state lakes.  This is a tragedy for sure but it's my guess the state has something posted at the lake, which could possibly deter some lawsuits.  

It is true however, too many people file lawsuits when the fault lies (at least partly) with the victims, sad but true.

My guess is that the family will refrain from any such lawsuit.  The report mentioned that the victim fished there frequently for several years, they were most likely aware of the risks, also he was alone, ice conditions were probably marginal, and he was out
at night.  Hopefully common sense will prevail in this tragedy, condolences to the family none the less.

I believe the report also mentioned that it was a "weak spot" or soft spot area where he fell through.  Shows you how tricky ice can be, the rest of the ice may have been good, with a little snow cover and at night, it's kind of dangerous.

I've spoke to several guys that say they've "fell through" more than once and they make light of it, I wonder how many guys have gone through the ice while alone, and at night.

[Mr.Sodus]

Half way through your rant, you asked  The answer was NO

As another one of your liberal friends, let me say that you are way over paranoid. And this thread is not about your paranoid ultra Conservative views, or about my liberal views. It's about a fellow ice fishing brother who lost his life. 
My deepest condolances and prayers to his family, very sad indeed. And yes, a reminder to all of us to always proceed with the utmost caution.

#1- Let us all have a moment of silence for ALL who have passed, our fellow fisherman and the troops who defend our freedom.
#2- Let us all have a moment of silence for the ignorant, the damned and those that put up with them...