Duck hunters rescued on White River

Indiana Conservation Officers responded to a call for help on the White River on Saturday and rescued five hunters after their boat froze into the White River near Haysville.

At 11:37 a.m., officers responded to the call for help just east of the Haysville bridge. According to officers, the five men were working their way downstream when they became stuck in the ice. As they were sitting there in the snowy, 12-degree weather, that section of the river became frozen around them.

Responding DNR officers had trouble working in the conditions, as equipment was difficult to deploy into the river at the Portersville access ramp, and the DNR airboat was frozen to the trailer.

However, officers were able to break it free, reach the river by airboat, and rescue the five hunters.

The hunters’ boat was left stuck in the ice.

Other responding agencies included the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, Dubois County Emergency Medical Services, Haysville Fire Department, and Luce Township Fire Department (Spencer County). Luce Township has a hovercraft and was called in case the DNR airboat could not reach the hunters.