By Journal Staff

MARQUETTE — A 56-year-old man and his dog were rescued from icy Lake Michigamme on Friday afternoon, according to a Marquette County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Thad Cooper of Michigamme Township alerted authorities that his dog had fallen through the ice. After attempting to rescue the dog by himself via kayak, Cooper also fell into the water.

The sheriff’s dive and technical rescue teams were dispatched to the scene. They struggled to reach Cooper due to his distance from the shore as well as the lake’s soft ice.

One dive team member was able to reach Cooper with a flotation board secured to the shore with a rope, allowing supporting personnel to pull them both out of the water.

The dog was rescued after Cooper was successfully brought to shore.

It is estimated that Cooper and his dog were in the water for an hour and 25 minutes.

Upper Peninsula Health Center EMS transported the victim and two of the first responders for treatment at UPHS-Bell.

The sheriff’s office stressed in its press release that all ice is unsafe this time of year and that no one should venture out onto it for any reason.

The Marquette County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the following agencies: Michigamme-Spurr Fire Department, Michigamme-Spurr First Responder Team, Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Natural Resourcs, U.S. Coast Guard and the Alger County Sheriff’s Office.