Firefighters rescue twins from ice floe: ‘It kept drifting out a little further’

CHARLOTTETOWN – Nine-year-old twins are back on dry land after being rescued from an ice floe that drifted away from shore as they played with friends.

The girl and boy had been jumping on cakes of ice when one started moving out shortly before 3 p.m. on Easter Sunday, said Sgt. Walter Vessey of Charlottetown police.

"They happened to jump on a piece of ice that actually was floating rather than sitting on the mud, and as they jumped on it, it started to float away from shore," said Vessey.

"It kept drifting out a little further and further."

Two of their friends were also on the floe, but managed to jump off and wade back to shore before rescuers arrived at the scene, on the Hillsborough River.

Fire officials used an inflatable rescue boat to go about 40 metres offshore to retrieve the pair, who were given life-jackets to wear as they were brought back to shore.

Compelling photos released by the Charlottetown fire department on Twitter showed two small figures alone on a floe, and then returning to shore aboard the rescue boat.

"They weren't harmed in any way, although they were worried I think till the fire department showed up with their boat," said Vessey.

"I'm sure their mothers were plenty stressed when they came down to get them after they were rescued."